Eight Hundred Legends of Life
by Wolf no naku koro ni
Summary: Kid is blinded by a wolf Kishin on a mission. What would happen when a girl with white wolf ears and tail find him and heals his eyes with a mysterious power? What does she have to do with the balance of the world? Together, Kid, his friends, and their newest addition Ame, must find a way to coincide to fight for something greater than simple peace. They must fight for each other.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Soul Eater or any other media referred to in this fanfiction.**

It is said that when the world began, there were two ultimate beings that ruled over everything—the plants, the animals, even the humans lived in harmony under them. They were called Life and Death, Sanity and Madness. A God of Death and a Goddess of Life. A Shinigami and, less commonly known now, an Inochigami. Two separate beings that could not live without each other.

However, fate did not favor them to reign together in eternity. Eight hundred years ago, a witch who called herself the Spider Queen used the power of the sixth incarnations of the gods, Lord Death and Ikiru. With the destruction of Death and Madness of Life, she created demonic weapons of insanity and devastation. With her army, the Spider Queen tried to overthrow the gods.

It is untold what happened during the time of war, however, I know how it ended. Ikiru, the beautiful wolf goddess of Life itself, decided her Madness could no longer be in the world. Lord Death took her responsibilities upon himself—something no one had ever done for the Inochingami before. Ikiru left. Death was sad, but he promised her and himself that he would continue the world as if she never was.

_**Tracing the depths of my memories,**_

_**I fasten together my crumbling heart, no place left to go**_

_**Come here once again and **_

_**Take my hand, take me away to the ends of eternity**_

_**Dashing forward, I find a way to know the**_

_**Future. Time races ahead and **_

_**I see tomorrow, but**_

_**I cannot hide my heart now fraught with anxiety.**_

_**My thoughts I release in a rasping voice**_

_**Disappear into an unreachable void; I cannot grasp the heart.**_

_**Return the memories I've captured in my eyes,**_

_**Believe one day in the future we'll meet again!**_

The sun was burning hot as it shone, laughing, over a small Japanese village. The fields of the village, ripe with rice and other food, were surprisingly empty. At this hour, the citizens of the village would rush to gather and harvest as much food as they could, but all was silent. It was as if this was a ghost town. There was no mistaking it. A Kishin was terrorizing the village.

"At last," a voice called into the valley.

That voice belongs to none other than Death the Kid, the son of Death himself. The teen was currently flying over the small town on his hovering skateboard, his two weapons in hand.

"Hey, Kid," the eldest of his weapons, Liz, said. "Where is everyone? There's plenty of food to harvest, so why aren't they off their lazy butts?"

"For starters, a Kishin egg has been running them off," Kid replied. "Several people have been killed whenever they go near the fields; it seems this Kishin wants them to himself. People have died as a result, and several fields destroyed."

"A Kishin with an interest in food?" Liz questioned. "Don't they usually eat just souls?"

"He must be a big eater," Patti giggled. Kid narrowed his eyes.

"This isn't like what we're used to fighting," Kid warned in a serious tone. The other two turned to look at him. "Father told me that this particular Kishin… was born from an animal's soul."

"An animal?" Liz echoed.

"It hasn't been heard of," Kid continued. "Animals don't perceive Madness the same way that humans do. They are, to say… accustomed to it. You're as surprised as I am. Anyway, keep on guard and stay in weapon form; we don't know what we're up against."

Evil Brewing; A Kishin Egg Formed From a Wolf's Soul?

Kid landed his skateboard at the edge of the village, facing the dark, creepy forest. The trees were too thick to fly through, so he'd just have to proceed on foot. He began searching the forest for any sign of distress. There were no markings on the trees, no prints in the dirt, nothing even slightly out of place.

"That's weird," Kid muttered as he walked along. "All the animals are gone."

He looked down at the ground. Next to his feet in a patch of dry leaves was a bloody paw print—clearly of the wolf or dog family. He stared at the print more intensely, recognizing traces of black blood on the foliage as well. Now he knew he was in the right place. He turned when he heard a low growl sound behind him. He aimed his weapons skillfully, waiting for the monster to show itself.

The beast stepped into the light, snarling viciously. Kid gasped. It was a large, black, mutated wolf-dog. It was abnormally large, its tail dripping with black blood. The Kishin snarled aggressively and curled its tail at an unnatural position. The black blood at the tip stiffened and slashed at Kid like a blade. The boy dodged the attack and opened fire at his target.

"Kid, focus!" Liz snapped as the blood slicer hit Kid. Kid was repelled roughly against a thick tree trunk. After sliding to the ground, Kid groaned and swayed to his feet.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," Kid lied, preparing himself to fight again. His vision blurred slightly, and he shook his head once. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a white flash. He lost his concentration completely as he stared at the white entity in a daze. Three white wolves, one with a flaming disk and red markings on hers back, were running through the trees. Not even Liz's voice could snap him out of his trance. Everything seemed to move silently and slowly up until that moment.

The Kishin charged at him, bloody spikes being fired randomly and mercilessly in Kid's direction. He felt stabbing pain all over his body as he was thrown back again. Everything went black as he lost consciousness.

"Kid!" the girls shouted, transforming into human form to ensure that he was alright. He clearly wasn't.

"Patti," Liz barked.

"Right," her sister nodded somewhat seriously and transformed for her. Liz wasn't sure if she'd even be able to land a hit on the advancing monster; it was likely that they could die without Kid being able to help.

Suddenly, three white figures blurred before them, cutting into the Kishin and driving it away. They looked like the Japanese wolves that had been hunted down centuries ago, but that was impossible—all endangered species are on Stein's waiting-to-dissect list. Liz stared at them in disbelief. Were they trying to save them? She thought she caught a glimpse of a flaming shield in one wolf's mouth, but didn't get a good look before they were all out of sight. Liz and Patti stared after the four beings in shock, surprised, relieved, and extremely grateful to whomever it was that led it away. They didn't hesitate another second; they immediately turned to tend to their meister.

Soul Eater

Liz will never forget that moment. She, Patti, Blackstar, Tsubaki, Maka, and Soul had all gathered outside of the dispensary for what felt like hours. It was late at night, but when the others heard about what happened, they insisted upon coming to the DWMA. When Professor Stein came out of the room, he told them what everyone was afraid to hear.

"He'll live," Stein spoke quietly, lighting a cigarette as he did so. "His body was able to diffuse the black blood on contact. However, the trauma from the attack caused great damage to Kid's eyes. Death the Kid is permanently blind."

"What?" Liz asked. "No, that can't be right! Let us see him."

"Go ahead," Stein nodded to the infirmary door. "But I doubt you'll like what you see."

Inside, Kid was sitting up on one of the beds, staring ahead blankly. His golden eyes had dulled to a yellow-tinted grey. He looked up when he heard them, his eyes unfocused slightly as he searched for what he could no longer see.

"Kid?" Liz asked, unable to make her voice louder than a whisper. She collapsed to her knees in front of him, dipping her head in sorrow as she began to sob at his feet. "Kid, I'm so… I'm so sorry."

"Liz?" Kid asked, reaching out blindly to her. "Liz, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Did something happen to Patti? Talk to me! You're freaking me out, Liz…."

Liz got to her feet again and wrapped him in a tight hug of security. She hated herself for letting this happen. Kid hesitantly wrapped his arms around her as well. He was so scared and weak—it was pathetic. He was a grim reaper. He shouldn't be taken down by something this small.

Everyone was silent in a state of shock and disbelief. How could they grasp this? Their comrade, their friend, was blind? Forever? How would this affect Kid? Would he still be able to fight and, in the long run, surpass his father as the next Grim Reaper?

** It will get better, I promise! I will post a couple more chapters today, just to make sure you get a clear view of the basic storyline of this first arc. I have composed this fanfiction to be the most epic I have ever written; all I need is a couple reviews to tell me how I'm doing. Thank you so much! **

** Oh my gosh, thank you for clicking on this story! I have been constructing this series for months and I hope that my efforts aren't at all wasted. Firstly, this is a KidxOC fanfiction, and it will end up having 88 chapters. I hope I can publish the last chapter as a New Year's special, so I need all your support to get that far!**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Liz found herself looking out her bedroom door and into the hallway where Kid was running his thin, pale fingers against the bottom edge of a picture frame. He was trying to see if it was level, as he had been since he got home. He was crying quietly. Why couldn't he at least keep things symmetrical? If he really was blind, then there wasn't much point in maintaining symmetry anyway.

"Kid?" Liz asked quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. Kid jumped, startled. "Are you okay?"

Kid gazed in the range of her voice. His eyes rippled with fresh tears. Liz pulled the crying boy close and murmured words of security in his ear. Of course it was the boy with OCD that went blind.

Dreams are a strange thing. You're dying, but in the forest, they want you to live. There was a certain girl perched in a tree combing through her long, snowy white hair. She wanted to see Kid live. She wanted to see him surpass his father, and she would do anything to make sure he did.

"_Only time praises me, Why won't it stop?_" she sang to herself.

"_Nee kando zero, sukoshi tarinai atama wo_

**My emotions are zero, my head is missing a bit**

_Furishibotte agaitetatte nanimo _

** Even if I muster, even if I struggle**

_Kawaranai no sa_

** Nothing changes**

_Sandome no uso wa mou barete shimatta yo_

** The third lie has already been exposed**

_Hiraki nao tsute sa_

** Be serious**

_Shiranai, Shiranai, Shiranai!_

** I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!**"

She fell silent as she drew the sharp rock across the river of her hair, cutting it just below her chin.

**Kioku no oku tadoru**

**Yukiba naku kawareyuku kokoro tsunagitome**

**Mou ichido kono basho de**

**Te wo totte eien' no hate e tsuredashite**

**Kakedashi toki ga hashiridasu**

**Mirai wo shiru sono sube wo nigirishime**

**Ashita wo mitsuketa no**

**Demo fuan do shou ga nai kokoro wo kakusenai**

**Kasureta koe de tobashita omoi mo**

**Todokanai mujou ni kieteku kokoro wo tsukamenai**

**Hitomi ni utsushita kioku kaeshite**

**Kono saki no mirai ni kitto mata deaeru to shin'jite!**

The next day at school was exceptionally challenging. Although his partners, friends, and even his own father was supportive of Kid taking the day off, the stubborn boy asserted that he attend school. It was a classic game; ignore the unusual, and it would probably go away.

He always needed help from his partners; if it weren't for them, he would constantly be running into walls and tripping to the floor. The floor was cold and hard and, despite what the vampire romance novelists think, not at all inviting.

Struggling; A Mysterious Girl with the Ability to Heal Broken Hearts?

Ame stood at the foot of the massive stone steps leading to the DWMA. Why did she have to walk up all those stairs? She was just a guest going to speak with Lord Death. A woman stood behind her, a nervous look in her golden eyes as she fiddled with her long, grey-tipped white hair.

"I'll be fine Mom," Ame reassured her. "This is my first time alone in the human realm, but it's a get in, get out job. I'll speak to Lord Death about the Kishin and have it exterminated. You don't have to worry about me."

"I wonder how Kid's doing today," Maka talked to Soul quietly as she, Soul, and Tsubaki browsed through the school library. "I didn't see him in class."

"Stein said something about a special class," Soul said. "Makes sense, I guess, considering…."

"Don't say it," Maka warned. Soul complied without a fight; things had been stressed at the limit since Kid's injury. Tsubaki put a reassuring hand on Maka's shoulder.

They were unaware of a certain girl watching them through gaps in the bookshelves.

"They're so unhappy," she thought. "If only I could help like I was destined to, but now humans won't be able to see my efforts if I tried. I'm a useless god."

She continued to watch them, never expecting Soul to turn around and actually see her. The girl looked down, pretending to be engrossed in the books in front of her before she realized they were way too close to her face to actually read. She glanced back at Soul, who was still watching her. He was grinning at her now, particularly at the snowy white tail peeking out from under her skirt. He assumed it was just for cosplay. The girl blushed bright red and inched her way behind the other end of the bookshelves. She glanced around the corner, relieved when she didn't see him. As a matter of fact, she didn't see any of them. She heard a small chuckle and looked around the other corner. There—she saw something move!

"Soul, cut it out," Maka reprimanded. "Just because you're bored doesn't mean you can just…." She trailed off, glimpsing at the girl. Suddenly, she felt intense joy wash over her, and she wanted to join in their little game. She didn't know what was wrong, or if anything was wrong at all, but she motioned for Tsubaki to follow her as she crept around the edge of the bookshelf.

The wolf-girl shyly hid behind the edge of the bookshelf again, glancing behind her to see if Soul was still following her. Surely her playful Madness wavelength would prevent him from wanting to abandon their childish game, but she wanted to make sure. No Soul in sight, but he was waiting behind the other edge. She was about to wait him out when a girl with blonde pigtails skipped up next to her.

"Hi there!" Maka greeted. The girl took a step away, unintentionally jumping into the middle of the aisle. Another girl with longer black hair stood behind the other bookshelf. Reinforcements, she was doomed!

"No escape now," Tsubaki leered with a smile.

They stepped towards her, driving her down the aisle. The girl followed their motions non-competitively when they stopped walking and began laughing quietly. He was right behind her, wasn't he? She slowly turned around, her plushy tail all frizzed out and rigid. Soul was only a few inches away from her. She met his crimson eyes without fear. She smiled at him, wagging her tail to signal she was having fun. Soul grinned back and stared at her eyes, seeing their odd color.

"One gold and one green, huh?" he noticed. "Kid would have a heart attack."

"Do you know who I am?" the wolf girl asked, her tail moving ominously.

"No."

"Good," she purred.

"Hey, be quiet in the library," a sharp voice chided. Soul turned around to see Kid sitting there, staring ahead blankly, his hand on a book. Looks like he'd been annoyed with all the laughing.

"Oh, sorry, Kid," Soul apologized immediately.

"Is that you, Soul?" Kid asked, his eyes wandering over to their small group. "Who were you talking to?"

Soul looked back to where the girl had been standing a second ago. She was gone now. Maka and Tsubaki glanced throughout the aisles, to see if she was hiding somewhere, but she'd disappeared entirely.

"Uh… it was nothing, Kid, forget about it."

They didn't want to trouble him.

Soul Eater

"Who do you think that girl was?" Maka asked Soul in between classes. "I've never seen her around the academy before."

"Maybe she wasn't a student," Soul suggested. "I don't know why she was here, but she seemed to just be messing around. Maybe she's a relative of one of the staff members?"

"Maybe," Maka looked up as she saw the same mysterious girl, wolf tail, headband, and all, walking away from the Death Room and down the hallway. No one else seemed very interested in her, but Maka couldn't help but feel suspicious. She continued watching the girl as she walked out the front door and into the court yard where little Fire and Thunder were chasing each other. One of the twins tripped and fell down a few feet away from the girl.

The girl went out of her way to approach him and pick him back up. She set him down on his feet and patted his head kindly, then went on her way. The twins stared after her with intense interest for a long time. They seemed to see something about her that no one else did.

"I can't do it," Kid said in defeat as they were training later. He and his two partners were alone in the backyard of his grand mansion, trying to hit targets. Kid put his arms down; he couldn't even hit a target one hundred feet away. He knew it; he was hopeless.

"Let's just try something else," Liz suggested, her reflection glancing off the side of the pistol.

"Like what?" Kid turned to her, almost glaring. His disconcertingly blank stare made Liz repress a shudder. After a moment of silence, Kid sighed. "Fine," he grumbled, raising the twins again.

He couldn't even begin to find the target to aim at, but he tried doing a little more this time than he had been. He closed his eyes in concentration, let his soul reach out to those of his companions, and let them guide him. He hesitated, afraid of failure, but put his faith forward and pulled the trigger. It sounded like an impact.

"Perfect hit," Liz reported.

"Really?" Kid couldn't believe the success.

"We did it!" Patti hailed. "Maybe we can go on missions now!"

"You think so?" Kid laughed. He did it. He could do it. Things looked brighter now. Maybe he would be able to pull through this time after all.

They were all so joyous that not even Liz and Patti were aware of someone watching them. It was a girl lying on her stomach on the roof, watching their training as it continued. Two large white wolves lay on either side of her, keeping guard. None of them were very used to the big city. One wolf turned his head and let out a throaty growl.

"It's okay," the girl said, scratching the bridge of his muzzle. "Five more minutes."

"Ame, are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Stop complaining," she corrected. "He's Lord Death's son. If he dies, Madness will reign free. Humans can no longer accept our madness like before. We're going to stay in the forest where we can't bother anyone."

"But you completely reset—"

A small cry echoed through the yard. Ame looked down again to see Kid twitch violently, dropping his weapons, and collapse to his knees. He put a hand over his eyes in obvious distress. Ame stared at the scene as his two weapons transformed and tried to help him.

"He's blind," she realized. "What happened to him? It's as if I can sense compressed wavelengths of Madness in his eyes…."

"Kid, what's wrong?" Liz asked, touching the side of his face and gently pulling his hand away to reveal his eyes.

"It still hurts," he whispered frantically, his eyes wide and his pupils narrowed to pinpricks with fear. He began clawing at his eyes, blood splattering on the grass. Liz pulled him to his feet and took him inside the house. Kid followed her cautiously, sitting down on the couch as she wanted him to.

"Here," she said, handing him a cool, wet cloth. Kid pressed it to his face, grateful for the soothing water.

"Thank you," he sighed in relief. "I feel better now. I don't know what happened; it just started to hurt again all of a sudden."

"I don't like the sound of that," Liz murmured, touching his face with her hands. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead gently. Kid blushed. He'd never been kissed by her before. He'd never thought of Liz in any special way… not really… but…. He felt so alone now.

"I hate this," Kid whispered. He was sick of crying, sick of being afraid. Liz drew him close to her in a tight embrace, as she had so often lately. They were completely over the slightly awkward feeling when they touched each other.

"Don't be. It's okay now. We did well during training, so you have nothing to worry about right now. We'll keep training and you'll be able to fight again, don't worry."

"Stop lying to me!" Kid cried. "You know I can't live like this! Look at me; I'm blind! There's nothing that can be done about it, so just give it up."

"Kid…." Did he really just say that? Was he really just going to give up? They were doing so well, though. How could…? Of course. It was the inevitable truth. Kid was blind. He didn't _want_ to live like this. He needed something, but Liz wasn't enough to fill that position anymore. She never was.

**This chapter is a bit sadder. It's also a bit longer. Well, I'll keep working at it and have the rest posted soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

Kid was losing confidence in himself. He thought he was virtually useless, a burden to others… disgusting. He hated himself for being so weak in the heat of battle, leaving the girls to defend themselves. He didn't deserve to live anymore. He needed to be alone for a while to think.

That's why he was there, stumbling around in the forest. Alone to think about everything that had happened in these past few weeks, Kid was depressed after a while. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. After all the trouble he's endured so far, was he really sure that it was all for not?

He didn't know what to do. There was just a big, empty piece of his soul that was missing. Why couldn't he just be happy with his friends? He had everything anyone would dream of; why was he so selfish?

Kid found himself lying on the ground, almost passed out from exhaustion and… cold? He didn't care to bring a jacket, so the dropping temperature was free to eat at his stamina and strength. There was no getting back now. He was shaking and had scraped his arms and legs slightly when he fell. You'd think that the scent of blood would have attracted something by now.

"Just let me die already!" Kid cried out to the dark night. It was getting even colder and silent. Kid wanted to scream some more, but withheld it. He heard something. Footsteps? Yes, they were heavy footsteps, accompanied by the thick breathing of a large animal. Kid couldn't quite feel where it was coming from through the numbness in his body, but he anticipated it touching him soon. He expected some long, sharp claws or teeth, crushing his skin and bones and consuming his soul.

There was a soft thud, and Kid sensed something draw very close to him.

This was it.

Kid's Healer; A Witch Out To Get The DWMA?

Instead of claws, he felt soft, warm fingers wrap around his arms. He gasped; it was human? He could tell as it drew him closer that it was a girl. Kid wasn't sure if he was dreaming or dead already. He felt something like a furry animal tail wrap around him, keeping him warm. Although his primary objective was to die, Kid rejoiced for the comfort and hospitality. She began to sing to him.

Her voice was like a million angels. It soothed Kid's troubled soul. He didn't know when the change happened, but he suddenly felt so content, so… complete in comparison to only a few moments ago. This girl… she was perfect. He tried to reach out to her, to make sure she was real. His hand touched her neck; he felt warmth of blood in her veins. He wasn't dead.

"**Kioku no oku tadoru**,

"**Yukiba naku kawareyuku kokoro tsuRintome**

** Mou ichido kono basho de**

** Te wo totte eien' no hate e tsuredashite**

** Kakedashi toki ga hashiridasu**

** Mirai wo shiru sono sube wo nigirishime**

** Ashita wo mitsuketa no**

** Demo fuan do shou ga nai kokoro wo kakusenai**

** Kasureta koe de tobashita omoi mo**

** Todokanai mujou ni kieteku kokoro wo tsukamenai**

** Hitomi ni utsushita kioku kaeshite**

** Kono saki no mirai ni kitto mata deaeru to shin'jite!"**

As she continued to sing, Kid felt warm, bittersweet water dripping over his face. Tears? Was she crying? The water cleansed his eyes and mixed with his own tears. He thought it would burn, but instead the warmth radiating throughout his whole body was like medicine. Pacifying. Her voice faded away and they were silent for a moment.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked. Her voice was kind of on the high side, but still soft and rolling like an elegant hum.

"No…."

"Good," she purred, setting him down and taking her leave. Kid reached out in protest, but felt sudden dizziness overcome him and fell limply to the frosty ground.

"Don't worry," a voice whispered. "We'll meet again, Dezu ze Kiddo."

"Kid! Kid, you're here!" Liz cried, kneeling beside him and wrapping her arms around him. Kid opened his eyes. "Kid, you're eyes…."

"I never thought that I would get to see your face again," Kid sighed, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. Everything felt perfect at last.

They went to see Stein in the infirmary the next morning.

"How is that possible?" Stein speculated as he examined Kid's flawless eyes. Kid sat in front of him, the girls watching from a few feet away. Stein turned the screw in his head, completely bemused. He turned to Liz and Patti.

"You say you just found him like this?"

"Yeah," Liz replied.

"The damage done to his eyes was too great for even lasers to heal, the weather last night wasn't very rehabilitating, and on top of all that, it's as if there was never any damage to speak of. No scars remain."

"Could it have been his healing powers?" Patti suggested.

"No, the Kishin attacked with a special type of dark magic. A young reaper's power is no match for it. That girl you talked about—she could have been a witch. Someone that wants something from us, I guess. Liz, Patti, I want you two to keep a close eye on him. If anything seems wrong, tell us."

They nodded. "We will."

"Well, then," Stein said dismissively. "You should get to class. Lord Death would probably like to speak to you as well."

Kid nodded and got to his feet. "Come on, Liz, Patti."

Liz and Patti smiled and followed their meister out of Stein's office. It felt nice to be following instead of leading. It made them happy that Kid was so much more confident now; they felt like they could truly look up to him again. Kid tried not to brag or flaunt as he calmly walked in front of Maka and Soul.

"Hey," Soul greeted.

"What's up?" Blackstar voiced his presence.

"Glad to see you're safe," Maka added. Kid smirked and looked at them with sharp eyes.

"I'm glad to see you all again," he replied. They were immediately piling over each other to get a better look at their friend.

"How?" Tsubaki asked. "Professor Stein said that there was no way."

"In his opinion, there wasn't," Kid said. He quickly reviewed everything that had happened the previous night.

"You're saying that some witch healed you?" Maka clarified after Kid finished.

"That's what I'm not really sure about," Kid admitted. "I didn't see a witch's soul. It was something else entirely… something I've never seen before."

"What about the Soul Protect?" Maka asked. "She could have been using that."

"Who knows with all the weird stuff going on lately?" he sighed. "Anyway, my father wants us to go on a special mission. He said it was kind of a celebration."

Ame stopped petting her tail and looked up from where she was sitting in a tree. A stirring filled her body, making her suddenly active. She sniffed the air slightly.

"They're coming back," she said. She smiled, baring her sharp teeth. She did a very talented back flip off the tree branch, shouting "GIRLS ARE FLEXIBLE!" She landed on her feet and began walking in a random direction, singing under her breath to herself.

"Can you please sing something else now?" Rin asked his sister irately.

Nagi and Rin sighed. Since their sister was the benevolent spirit of life, she liked to sing a lot. Yes, they were older triplet brothers to the unfamiliar incarnation herself, Okami Inochigami Amaterasu. Their mother was Ikiru, the previous goddess of life. Nagi and Rin weren't really her brothers; they were adopted, and they liked to remain in the form of wolves instead of human form like Ame.

"Where are we going?" Nagi, the eldest of the triplets, asked.

"We're going to have another go at that demon," Ame cheered, raising a fist up in the air exuberantly. "But first we're going to eat!"

Her brothers sighed again. Goddess or not, there was no doubt about it; Ame also liked to eat well.

Soul Eater

The three meisters walked about a forest on the outskirts of a Japanese village. Now they understood. Kid was getting revenge on the wolf that took his sight.

They all stopped walking, listening intently for any signs of life. Now that they were silent, they sensed that not even the birds were there. It was disconcertingly lonely.

"Maka, do you sense anything?" Kid asked.

"No. Not even the animals," Maka narrowed her eyes. "Do you?"

"Something isn't right," Kid said. He felt something within him driving him forward, but he held his ground. After another moment, they heard the distinct howl of a Kishin wolf.

"Let's go!" Maka called, bolting towards the sound.

In a clearing not too far from where they had started, a Kishin was stalking towards a young girl, who was unconscious in a heap on the ground. Maka didn't wait for the Kishin to take the girl's soul; she leapt forward to attack. Blackstar and Kid followed, attacking from the other side.

"Don't let it touch you!" Kid called to the others, who nodded. This was the beast that blinded him. Today, he gets even. He aimed straight for its eyes and pulled the trigger.

They all turned to examine the strange girl. Her body, which had been broken and bloody just moments ago, was now flawless and clear. She had white hair, but not an ashy blonde like Soul's; her shade resembled more like pure white snow. Her hairstyle was unusual for a girl; it was cropped short and flipped up a bit on the ends in a fluffy cowlick. It looked like a slightly more girlish version of Kid's haircut. When Kid and Maka examined her soul, they saw she had three black streaks on the right half of it. The oddest thing about her, however, was that she had two plushy wolf ears on top of her head and a fluffy, grey-tipped wolf tail to match.

"That's the girl we met in the library," Soul said stepping forward. "That headband makes it look like she has wolf's ears."

"I don't think that's a headband," Maka said. Kid leaned forward and put his hand on the girl's forehead.

"This is the wolf girl that saved us," Liz realized. "Um, right Kid? Kid?"

The said boy was staring intently at the girl, and for a moment, Liz thought he was actually remembering something from before he got hurt. He brushed her bangs out of her face, his face unreadable. Kid opened his mouth as if to say something, but put his hand under his chin instead with one finger pointing out.

"Now, she's symmetrical," he said, a joyous glint in his eye. Liz groaned and began banging her head on a tree. "Now," Kid said, picking her up. "We should get her to the Academy. She can probably help us."

Before she fell into a deep sleep, the she-wolf felt someone wrapping their arms around her and picking her up like a child. She was used to much rougher conditions if she was ever carried around, such as being carried by the scruff of her neck, but this isn't what caught her attention. This person smelled human. Well, for the most part; it was a grim reaper. A Shinigami. She relaxed once she recognized the scent, knowing she'd be safe with him. It was Death's son… however she shall address him now.

**Hello again! Now that we have a few more chapters on the plate, things are shaping up. So Ikiru had a daughter named Ame; she also adopted two Japanese wolves that she named Nagi and Rin. More of their stories will be revealed at a later time, but I don't want to spoil anything before the time is right. **

** Anyway, hit that review button to tell me how I'm doing.**


	4. Chapter 4

As Kid gathered the young wolf-girl in his arms, Ame couldn't help but be reminded of the legend of a white wolf from which she was named after.

Ame moaned slightly and her head began to lift. "Hey, Kid…"

"Hey, I think she's waking up."

"Do you know who I am?" a playful smile danced across the wolf's lips.

_**My thoughts I release in a rasping voice**_

_**Disappear into an unreachable void; I cannot grasp the heart.**_

_**Return the memories I've captured in my eyes,**_

_**Believe one day in the future we'll meet again!**_

Ame was sleeping in the infirmary, where Kid and the others had left them for the night. Stein was now watching her where she rested on a bed, staring at her from where he sat across the room at a desk. Spirit stood in a corner, staring at her uncertainly. Naigus was in the background, sorting through files indifferently. She didn't sense anything wrong with the girl.

"Stein, are you sure we have to do this?" Spirit asked.

"She has a strong Madness wavelength and should be contained for the safety of the teachers and students here at the academy." Stein stated, turning the screw in his head.

"I understand perfectly," Spirit agreed. "She has a source of great power at her reach."

The girl inhaled sharply, opening her eyes. She leapt to her feet and bolted for the door.

"Oh no, you don't," Stein muttered, lunging towards her. The wolf only paused when the blade of a scythe blocked her path.

Kid's Savior; The Voice of a Goddess?

"What do you mean she was locked up?" Kid demanded. After class, he had come alone to meet Stein at the nurse's office to check on the wolf girl, but was startled when she wasn't there.

"She's too powerful and too unpredictable to keep loose," Stein replied defensively. "We aren't sure what she is yet, but she has a power that needs to be contained."

"Where is she?" Kid asked. This couldn't happen.

"Where else?" Stein replied as if it was obvious. "The dungeon."

Kid turned on his heel and began running down the hallway. He was kind of glad he didn't run into his friends on his way down the stairs; he honestly needed to pursue this wolf girl alone despite his strict orders to have one of his friend/bodyguards around him at all times. He paused in front of the cell labeled, "Wolf Girl."

"Wolf!" he called, pounding his fist on the door. "Are you the one who saved me?"

There was a slight rattling inside the cell. The girl was bound by her arms and legs and chained to the wall. Her ears perked at the sound of his voice. She recognized him… his scent. She sniffed feebly, trying to recall his name or face.

"Please, I have to know!" Kid insisted. "Did you give me my sight back? I was alone in the forest one night. Someone was there—I'd recognize you by your tail and ears. Please…."

The wolf shifted again. Was he talking to her? She'd kind of fallen asleep in the darkness, and was perplexed since she just woke up. Kid sighed and backed away from the door. He probably had the wrong idea. He was about to walk away when a voice stopped him. It was beautiful, angelic… perfect.

"**Kioku no oku tadoru**

"**Yukiba naku kawareyuku kokoro tsurintome**

** Mou ichido kono basho de**

** Te wo totte eien' no hate e tsuredashite…"**

Kid sighed in relief and pressed his hand against the door. "It is you."

"You're the blind reaper, aren't you?" she whispered.

"Yes," Kid replied. "My name is Death the Kid. I wanted to thank you for restoring my sight. You don't know how much it means to me."

"I am… Ame," she told him. "I am the eighth incarnation of Life, and that is all I am. I'd appreciate it if that stayed between us."

"Huh?" Kid was lost. A goddess of Life? That was made up. But of course he would keep her secret. "Alright," Kid nodded. "I need to talk to my father about this. If you truly are who you say you are, then you shouldn't be locked up like this. It was nice to speak with you… Ame."

"Am I alone again?" Ame thought as Kid disappeared down the corridor. "Hmm. It appears we are. Well, what do we do now? It's boring being detained like this. The least they could do is torture me or something." She sighed and began mumbling a song. "Moshi kono sekai ga subete…."

"Stop singing!"

"Darn it."

Once in the Death Room, Kid tried to find out more about what Ame said.

"A goddess of life, you say?" Lord Death inquired. Kid nodded.

"Father, what was she talking about?" Kid seemed the slightest bit desperate.

"I never knew anything about a wolf girl in our custody," Lord Death changed the subject abruptly. "However, from what you told me, I have a good idea of who she is and I assure you no harm will come to her."

"Good, I guess," Kid sighed. When he looked up, his father seemed distant, as if he was no longer listening to the conversation at hand. "Father, is something wrong?"

"Oh, sorry, Kid," the other apologized for his absent-mindedness. "I was thinking about something else. I'll still have to speak with this girl myself, but she's safe so you don't have to worry."

Kid nodded, still slightly unsure. Lord Death continued to space out, considering the inconsiderable. Was Ikiru's child really here again? Was it true? The description fit; a white wolf girl with the innocence of a goddess and the power to heal both physical and mental injuries of Madness.

He wasn't worried about Kid finding out; he'd upheld his promise and hadn't even told his own son about Ikiru's fate.

Soul Eater

Ame didn't know if she was sitting there with her eyes open or she'd been sleeping when the door opened. She looked up at the light flooding the room; it was so bright…. As her eyes adjusted, she saw Spirit standing in front of her, holding a lantern and a tray.

"Dinner time," he announced, kneeling in front of her. He proceeded to serve her spoon-fulls of cold soup. Ame compliantly ate the cold mush, putting her ears forward bitterly after the third bite.

"I want to go home," she complained quietly, not really expecting him to care. However, the innocent statement struck a chord with Spirit. He tensed and looked up at her. She was young; no older than his own daughter.

"We didn't want to keep you here, but we had no choice," he explained dryly. "You must have information about the strange new Kishin eggs. If I unbind you, you will run, and you're the only thing we have right now."

"You're right," she admitted. "I'm afraid of humans. All I can do now is submit my body and soul to you."

"Don't think anything disgusting, don't think anything disgusting," Spirit thought to himself frantically.

"Come on, eat up," he chided, putting the spoon in front of her mouth.

"I can go months without food," she replied, turning her nose. "Feed me then."

"What happened to submission?" he thought.

"It won't come to that," he said out loud. "All you have to do is tell us what you know. Then Lord Death will decide what to do with you. He will speak with you in the morning."

Although she tried maintaining a disinterested façade, Ame's ears twitched.

"Take me now," she said.

**I know that's kind of an odd place to end it! But here's a bonus to make it all better!**

**Bonus! **

"Man, these chapters are going slow," Kid mumbled. He was sitting against the door of Ame's cell.

"I know, but I finally got to meet you," Ame said optimistically.

"I don't even know what you look like yet," Kid disagreed. "I mean, aren't we half way through the fanfiction and we just now met?"

"Maybe we should add more Kira chapters," Ame agreed.

"So, how long have you been trapped here?" Kid asked.

"About seven hours."

Kid twitched. "Um… I don't mean to offend you or anything, but could you say eight instead?"

"Eight? Why?"

"Well, you see… I'm a bit obsessed with symmetry and eight is more symmetrical than seven…."

Ame's ears pricked. "Sym…me…try?"

"You're right, I'm sorry," Kid stuttered. "I know it's annoying and I really should be a bit more sensitive since we're talking about your confinement."

"No, it's alright," Ame smiled. Her voice seemed kind of dreamy. "You know, I kind of like you, Kid. Besides, you'll be happy to know that, remember when I was saying I was a reincarnation of Life?"

"Yes…"

"Well, I'm the third! There's Life, Shiranui, Amaterasu, Chibiterasu, Rin, Ikiru, and me!"

"But that's only seven," Kid complained.

"Oh, yeah! You know how Asura is your older brother? Well, I had an older sister 800 years ago, but she died. It was her absence that drove Asura mad in the first place."

"Oh, so it's a one cannot live without the other thing," Kid nodded in understanding. "I hope we get more answers in the next chapter."

"Read it!" Ame ordered. "Or I'll take your soul!"

"You can't pull that off," Kid said. "You're just too cute and innocent."

"I'll show you cute and innocent!" Ame shouted, clearly enraged. She struggled against her bindings. "Let me tear you limb from limb! That'll teach you not to call a wolf cute!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, Spirit! I see you've brought me the wolf-girl," Lord Death greeted cheerfully. His face changed slightly when he saw Spirit leading Ame by a chain. She looked like no more than a dog. "Oh, those restraints aren't necessary by now. You should let her have free hands."

He held his hands up as if imitating submission. Spirit gave him a confused look, but complied. Kneeling next to the teenager, he began removing the complex chains.

"Don't try anything funny," he warned. "I won't hesitate to stop you."

Ame didn't seem scared to be in the presence of Death. After sniffing the air once, her tail lowered and her ears flopped to either side of her head in a relaxed position.

"There, you don't have to be afraid," Lord Death said, waving one of his hands toward the coffee table. "Tea?"

Spirit gawked at Lord Death in disbelief. He was honestly offering her tea during the interrogation?

_**My thoughts I release in a rasping voice**_

_**Disappear into an unreachable void; I cannot grasp the heart.**_

_**Return the memories I've captured in my eyes,**_

_**Believe one day in the future we'll meet again!**_

Ame sipped at the lemon and catnip tea that Lord Death gave her. The warmth was soothing and accommodating; she relaxed some more. She flipped her tail once and looked back up.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you again this soon," Ame said.

"Yes, I know," Lord Death agreed. "Wasn't it just the day before yesterday that we last saw each other?"

"You know each other?" Spirit asked in shock.

"Don't look so surprised," Lord Death said. "You think the gods of life and death don't know each other? Although I haven't seen Ikiru in 800 years. We don't keep in touch, you see?"

"Your own son didn't recognize me," Ame nodded her head smugly, laughing slightly. "I'm impressed."

"You're the spitting image of that wolf," Lord Death continued. "All except your hair; Ikiru grew hers longer when she was young."

Ame had hers in a short bob style that suspiciously resembled Kid's haircut. Ame tried to wave the 'coincidence' off.

"I like it like this," she said.

"And it doesn't look too bad either," he agreed. "Ikiru never liked having short hair. She grew it very long so the children could play with it if they wanted to."

Ame smiled. "I'm sure they liked that."

"The students here seem fond of you as well," he added. "I see you've been skulking around here quite a bit since Kid got hurt. You are like a beacon of hope to them, almost like a parent or something of the sort. But it's still strange that you made an appearance. You could have just contacted me through the mirror. I didn't expect to see another goddess of Life in these parts."

"Well, I guess I got a bit lonely," Ame replied, gazing down into her teacup.

"This interrogation is more like a cozy catch-up between old friends," Spirit scoffed. "You could have told us you were a goddess. We would've at least made you more comfortable or something."

"Like you would have believed me," Ame smiled kind-heartedly at him to show there were no hard feelings. "Inochigami are different than Shinigami. We are, to put it bluntly, Madness personified."

Spirit's eyes widened at this. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, but we are able to use it for good in our own way," Ame said, brushing her tail absentmindedly. She looked up at Lord Death. "It's okay for him to know this, right? I mean, he's your death weapon. I don't want him to kill me if he mistakes my powers for cheap magic later."

"Ah, yes, about that; Kid told me what you did for him by giving his sight back, and I am extremely grateful to you," Lord Death said. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I hope you can forgive our trespass against a god such as yourself."

"It's not a problem," Ame replied. "Inochigami submit to you and your family. It's just the way we work now that the humans don't need us."

There was a strangely awkward silence as Lord Death sipped his tea. Spirit stared intently at him; something was up.

Kid and the others were waiting outside in the school courtyard.

"So, my father will probably let her go after he's gathered some information about the Kishin," Kid was telling the others later.

"Do you think we could be friends with her?" Patti asked childishly. "She kind of should want us to be friends since we saved her life and all."

"The way you guys talk about her kind of makes me want to kill her," Blackstar said nonchalantly. "But she's a bit weak for my great power."

"Maka CHOP!* It would be kind of interesting to have a wolf as a fried, don't you think?" Maka turned to her less annoying friends, holding the spine of her book.

"Yeah," Soul agreed. "As long as she didn't eat us, it would definitely be cool."

"Maybe if we kept her fed in advance, then she won't attack us," Tsubaki suggested with a laugh. "I wonder what kind of food she likes."

"Now that you mention it, what do wolves like?" Liz had surely never thought about it herself. "Maka, you study the most; don't you know?"

"I guess wolves aren't the most popular species on the planet," Maka said, sweat-dropping. _'I can believe I don't know that.'_

"Don't feel bad, Maka," Soul reassured her. "You can't know everything. We can just ask her."

Soul Eater

"Anywho, I'd like to know about the Kishin you were fighting when Kid and the others saved you."

"So it's true," Spirit said. "Animals are becoming Kishins."

"I don't know who he was or why he had the nerve to become a demon," Ame said. "He wasn't even a wolf; he was an offspring of a wolf and a dog. He had the cocky bravery of a dog and the instinct to kill like a wolf. And I'm not even sure if he was a follower of the Spider Queen. He was formidable, at that."

"Spider Queen?" Spirit asked. "Why would any of the animals be interested in Arachne?"

"It's not your fault," Lord Death ignored his question entirely. "Now, if there's no more left to discuss, I'm sure Kid would like to know about your release. Shall we pay them a visit?"

Ame nodded eagerly whilst Spirit choked on his tea.

"Thank you for the tea," Ame said graciously as she got to her feet and followed Lord Death out the door. She was such a sweet child that Lord Death couldn't help but feel slightly envious towards Ikiru for having such a daughter. Not that his son was any less, but it would have been nice if Ame could stay a bit longer.

"You see, I'm not as scary as your friends may tell you," Lord Death responded in a light tone. Ame smiled at him.

"Why are you so worried about her anyway?" Blackstar asked as they trained in the schoolyard.

"I don't know," Kid replied simply. "It's like I'm drawn to her. I don't want anything bad to happen to her."

"Your father is aware of that," Liz appeased him.

"Right," he nodded. "Then, shall we get on with our training?"

"What's up, you seven?" Lord Death asked, appearing to the side of their formation. The weapons transformed again to greet the reaper. Kid almost died throwing himself at his father's feet.

"No, Father, please, PLEASE, say eight!"

"It seemed since he regained his sight that his OCD has gotten worse," Soul noted.

"I suppose that won't be a problem since there will now be eight of you," Lord Death said, raising a hand. Kid looked up at him, as they all did, with a questioning expression. Lord Death pointed to one of the pillars to the side of the schoolyard, where Ame was hiding halfway behind one. She bounded out to meet them, "She was just on her way home; her family must be worried sick about her by now."

Kid picked himself off the ground and the others enthusiastically greeted her.

"Hey!"

"What's up?"

"Ame, you're out!" Patti cheered.

"I'm looking forward to having you around," Tsubaki smiled at her.

"You are coming back, right, Ame?" Maka asked eagerly.

Ame blushed and blinked several times. She'd never expected this. It felt like they were only seeing her for the first time, yet they were still… extremely nice to her. She was used to taking care of peoples problems, not having people thank her.

"I'm sure Ame would love to come back to Death City," Lord Death answered for her. She glanced up at him. "After all, she's always welcome and I think she's found some good friends here."

Ame nodded eagerly and turned to the others. "Lucky Eight, right?"

"You know," Blackstar said. "I was going to challenge you, but I think I'll pass this time."

"It would be a shame if I got blood on my clothes," Ame agreed.

"Hey, Kid," Liz said. "You're pretty quiet. I mean, you're the one who wanted to see her out the most."

Kid wasn't listening. He was focusing intently on Ame's eyes. She had seemed like such an admirable figure, really. She was a goddess, after all; perfectly in Kid's league. She was beautiful, smart, talented, and Kid thought he had it for her. She was even symmetrical. But there was only one, simple, enormous problem.

Ame's ears flopped once. "What is it?"

_Her eyes were two different colors_. The right one was golden, and the left one was jade green.

Kid screamed, spit up blood, and fainted on the spot. Why did it have to end like this?

** *Yeah… I just randomly bench Blackstar for no reason other than he's annoying. And hard to write _#**

** Anyway, I think that's it for today. Thank you, Candyluver2121 for being such a loyal reader. Tell your friends, tell your family, people you love, people you hate, and most importantly, spam the heck out of all the internet sights you can to advertise my fanfiction! Just kidding, seriously, that would be rude. **

** I think I forgot the title sequence in this one…. Anyway, the song I'm using to represent this fanfiction's opening is a Touhou Project song called All This Time by FELT. Check it out, if you want to. I'd always imagined the ending theme to be Threat of Rain. Anyway, I'm going to go and make a couple videos about that. **

** Again, I just want to thank anybody that decided to read this far. I know I'm not quite bringing it yet, but it gets so much better as time goes on! Just hang on! Don't go into the light!**


	6. Chapter 6

Ame was waiting outside Death City, waiting for her friends to come get her. She was slightly scared; she'd never had friends before. What if they thought she was too mature? What if they thought she was pathetic for a god? She had to make a good impression. If she'd learned anything from watching Kid all this time, she knew that being polite was probably the safest gesture when you meet new people.

"I should say hello," Ame thought to herself, her ear flicking. "I should say 'hello, Kid.'"

"He… he…." She stuttered to herself, trying to formulate the words in her mouth. "He… Hello…."

"Hello, Ame," a voice said behind her.

"Meep!" Ame squeaked. She turned around slowly to see Kid and the others behind her. "Ah-oh-he-kid-hi-yoh-kun!" she stammered. Her eyes narrowed as she blushed and looked down. "Hello, Kid."

"Nervous?" Kid asked. Ame nodded silently, her face turn down in a rather bashful pout. "That's alright. You can approach us at your own pace; we'll wait for you. Just take as much time as you need."

"Daikaiju," Ame blurted out, staring at Kid. Kid gave her an uncomfortable smile. He hadn't realized she was at least a head and a shoulder shorter than him.

"What does 'Daikaiju' mean?" Patti asked.

"Giant monster," Kid replied nonchalantly, turning on his heel and motioning for the others to follow. "Are you coming?"

**Kasureta koe de tobashita omoi mo**

**Todokanai mujou ni kieteku kokoro wo tsukamenai**

**Hitomi ni utsushita kioku kaeshite**

**Kono saki no mirai ni kitto mata deaeru to shin'jite!**

Ame In A Devour-y Mood; What Do You Mean She Wants To Eat Him?

Ame walked beside her new friends, struggling to keep up with them. She was very distracted by the scenery and constantly took an interest in something new.

"You're easily distracted, aren't you?" Maka asked. Ame snapped to attention almost immediately.

"N-no."

"Sorry," Maka apologized. "Whenever I meet new people, I try to address their most prominent traits as soon as possible. I find it easier to get to know them then."

"Huh?" Ame's ears plushed upwards. "Sorry, I guess I don't really know how humans work."

"We don't really know how wolves work," Tsubaki responded. "So we can find out together, okay?"

"Together," Ame thought, wrapped up in odd fantasies. She was spacing out so much that she hadn't realized Kid had stopped in front of her.

"Mymph…" she squeaked as she collided head-first with him. She was so small that Kid didn't even feel it. She inhaled deeply. "Kid, move."

"Sorry about that," Kid said, stepping aside slightly. Ame watched the cars going by for a moment.

"I know how you knew it was Kid in front of you instead of someone else," Liz said, her face split in a devilish grin. "Wolves have strong noses, right?"

"Yes," Ame nodded. "We practically taste through scent."

"I bet you recognized Kid by his scent."

Ame suddenly got very angry and desperate in her embarrassment. She wanted to do something horrible. A dark aura began glowing around her as she contemplated this. Ame wanted to annoy and possibly scare her, but she didn't want Liz to get hurt either. So she couldn't bite or scratch her, and there wasn't much else she knew to do as a wolf. Then she got a faint idea; what about a body slam?

"Um, Ame?" Soul asked. "Is something wro—Are you nuts?!"

He cut himself off as Ame charged forward and sent Liz flying back quite a few feet by head-butting her in the stomach. The others stood still, surprised by the strength packed into the small girl.

"Nice head-bash," Maka complimented. Ame smiled at her, glad she wasn't angry. "Maybe after a while, I could teach you how to Maka-Chop."

"You came back quickly," Kid noted as they continued walking.

"It could be because you're kind," Ame responded. "Or it could be because I just want to eat you."

Kid stopped walking and leaned away from her, a look of horror plastered on his face.

"You want to… eat me?"

"I hear a reaper's blood is incomparable to the sweetest honey or liveliest spice," Ame said. "Besides, I thought it better to tell you now than the day we get married when I run at you with a knife and fork."

"What makes you think we're getting married?" Kid demanded, mortified and disturbed.

"Marriage is a sign that two humans want to be together forever, right?" Ame asked innocently. Kid tensed.

"Uh, yes… I suppose…."

"And…" Ame looked down sweetly before looking up at him with deep eyes. "You do want to be with me forever, don't you?"

Kid was sweating. It was obvious that Ame didn't know how humans worked. Maybe since she was so mature, she assumed some kind of adulthood as a wolf. What could he say? He didn't want to offend her or any of the other girls there, and he definitely didn't want to seem uncool to the guys. To his luck, Liz and Patti stepped in regarding her odd death threat.

"I don't care how hungry you get," Liz seethed, putting her hand protectively between Ame and Kid. "If you dare lay a hand on our meister—"

"Cut off a wolf's head and it still has the power to bite," Ame warned fairly, giving them space.

"Please don't," Kid requested.

"Maybe now is the best time to feed her," Tsubaki suggested.

Soul Eater

They stopped by a small café for a break. Even though it was late September, it was still burning hot outside.

"Do you like smoothies, Ame?" Tsubaki asked.

"I don't really know," Ame admitted. "I haven't had a lot of human food before. But I'd like to try."

"Go ahead," Kid encouraged her. "I'm buying, so you can get whatever you like."

Ame liked the sound of that. She turned to the menu, and Kid couldn't help but glance at her tail for a moment. Why wasn't anyone staring at it? Ame reached out tentatively and tugged Kid's sleeve, her ears rippling several times as she stared into his eyes.

"I… um…."

"Please, it's the least I can do for all you've done for me," Kid insisted.

Ame's eyes widened. It was as if the shyness that separated her from the rest of them shattered into a million pieces. She grinned widely and pointed to an item on the menu.

"Then I'd like to try those, please!"

"How do you like the human world so far?" Tsubaki asked the others as they sat down at a table outside to wait on their food. Ame gave her an optimistic smile to signal she was having fun.

"Well, I never thought I'd see you here," a woman's voice said. The eight of them looked up to see Blair, the cat waitress and Maka and Soul's housemate, standing in front of their table with a tray in hand. At first, they thought she was speaking to Maka or Soul, but she was staring intently at Ame. Ame returned her gaze for a while before reaching forward and petting Blair on the head. Blair seemed pretty happy about that, too.

"Atta girl," Ame praised.

"What the…?" Soul thought. "She's different than usual!"

"It's been a while since I've seen a Goddess of Life in these parts," Blair purred, opening her sharp, feline eyes. Ame's tail rippled and she glanced at the others, as if she'd said something she didn't want the others to hear.

"What does she mean by the goddess of life?!"

"I… uh… I'm kind of a god?"

"WHAAAAA?!"

"I've never heard of anything like that before," Maka admitted. "That explains the black streaks on your soul."

"Well, for starters, I'm an Inochigami. The term 'goddess of life' is rather weak for referring to my kind," Ame began. The others leaned in to hear her story, all intently focused on every gesture of her hand and motion of her tail. "We are professionally called 'Inochigami.' 'Inochi' being the Japanese term for life and 'gami' referring to being godlike or related to paper."

"Gods are related to paper?" Blackstar interrupted.

"You idiot," Kid muttered. He should know; he's a Shinigami for crying out loud.

"Yes," Ame's reply surprised them. "Did you know that Black Blood is just Ink I use to control the very fabric of existence?"

"Black blood?" Soul asked.

"Yes," Ame began stroking her tail again. "You see, if you cut me, my blood is red. However, there's a supply of black ink in my blood containing supernatural properties. The world is my paper, fresh for the painting. Anyway, we're also referred to as 'Okami,' considering we're descended from Japanese wolves. Another reason we're called that is that there are two ways in Japanese Kanji to write 'Okami;' one means 'wolf' and the other means 'great god' or in context, 'goddess.'"

"Why haven't I heard of you before?" Kid asked hesitantly. He knew his father kept secrets, but this was over the line.

"Ever wonder why humans can't see my ears and tail?" Ame asked them suddenly. There was silence; did she mean to change the subject? "We call them NPCs because only divine beings like gods and stuff can see them. And in my other form, they just see me as a normal white wolf. But you don't need to worry.I am the embodiment of innocence. If anything is out of line, I'm incapable of doing so."

"What do you mean?" Maka asked, tilting her head.

"I am the opposite of Kid, in a way; I cannot sin."

"In example," Kid interjected cautiously. "If I like symmetry and order, then you're a total… slob?"

"This has nothing to do with symmetry, you silly human," Ame said. She was playing with them now. "If you're order, then there's only one other main factor here. Come on, Kid, it's simple, now, isn't it? What did that pathetic Asura have to offer the world for peace? What can I accept as an animal?"

Kid and the others stiffened in shock. "Madness," they all said in unison.


	7. Chapter 7

Kid and the others stiffened in shock.

"Madness," they all said in unison.

Wait, where'd Blair go?

_**My thoughts I release in a rasping voice**_

_**Disappear into an unreachable void; I cannot grasp the heart.**_

_**Return the memories I've captured in my eyes,**_

_**Believe one day in the future we'll meet again!**_

"I thought you said you couldn't sin," Maka hissed quietly.

"You disgust me," Kid echoed.

"Don't deny me," Ame snapped. "You yourself were created from a shard of Madness. Well? Your father told you that much, at least."

"I… I suppose, but…."

"But my opinion doesn't matter, does it?" Ame asked him. "I'm not the god of Death, known to everyone for making world-saving decisions. So what if I'm the one who makes the sun rise? Most humans now see it as a challenge anyway. What if all that was to go away? So tell me this—if I use my Madness for unfathomable good, such as healing you, then is it alright or not?"

Kid considered it for a moment. "My own father let you go with this power in mind. I have no choice but to trust his judgment. It's unexpected, but he's actually quite fond of you." The smile returned to his face and everyone relaxed a bit, including Ame. She was surprised he accepted her so… easily.

Maybe he did like her.

Inochigami's Weapons; Divine Power and Ink Made of Black Blood?

"You into music?" Soul asked as he caught Ame humming under her breath.

"Yeah, sure. I mostly like Aki AkAH!" she squealed the last bit as she slipped on a stray paper and her legs went flying out from underneath her. Her entire body made an odd curve until she collapsed flat on the ground.

"Oh, Ame!"

"Are you alright?" Kid asked. Ame sat up, her head spinning. She shook her head and gave Kid a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, don't worry. It hit in the middle, so it didn't mess up the symmetry of my perfectly damaged head!"

"You need a doctor, don't you?" Kid asked, leaning away when she almost head-bashed him swaying her head around clumsily. She made a small gasp as Kid put his hands under her arms and pulled her too her feet.

"That was kind of careless," he said, straightening her hair. "You should be more careful."

Ame felt heat rush to her face and gritted her teeth. It was one thing to accept her, but this was something else. She smacked his hand away from her head with a displeased frown.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat me like a child," she retorted.

"I apologize," Kid digressed. Patti began laughing hysterically.

"Anyway, there is something I should tell you. Excalibur's forty ninth provision applies to me as well," Ame recited as they continued down the streets. "Never interrupt me while I'm humming to myself. This is a very important provision and should be followed carefully."

"You actually waste memory on Excalibur's thousand provisions?" Soul asked. Ame nodded.

"I'd better; Inochigami help him make them," Ame replied. The others were shocked to hear this.

"How could you do that?!"

"Excalibur isn't that bad," Ame defended him. She sure could accept anyone, couldn't she? "He and I are actually quite close, but he's terrible at keeping secrets, and he's the only one who knows about our parents. So we composed a list of painful provisions that no one could complete and our problem was solved. If you pay attention, you'll see that eight provision change every year."

"Is there anything else you think you should tell us?" Kid asked.

"Before we get married?" Ame specified.

"We are not getting married!" Kid snapped. "How could I ever marry you? I can't stay with someone so a-symmetrically repulsive! Perhaps if you put colored contacts on your eyes to make them both perfectly colored with each other, then I could look you in the eyes."

"You jerk!" Ame snapped, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I can already tell by your eyes that you're a problem child."

"You shouldn't judge people by their eyes!"

"Exactly, moron!" She leaped a good few feet in the air before spinning and kicking him in the head. Kid spit up blood as he collapsed to the ground, gripping the back of his head in pain.

"You little!" he cursed. "I am your upper classman."

"Such a shame," Ame muttered, crouching next to him and tapping his head. "That a daikaiju like yourself be taken down with a single hit like that."

"Shut up!" he finally snapped, kicking her away from him and getting to his feet, still rubbing his head. Ame twitched from where she was lying a few feet away.

"Sir, that hurt," she whimpered.

"Quit complaining! I'm hurting too."

"I've never seen Kid get pissed off so easily," Liz admitted as the others merely watched their dispute.

"Well, they are totally opposite from each other," Maka said. "You know what they say about opposites attracting each other."

Soul Eater

"You're name means 'rain,' doesn't it?" Tsubaki asked as they continued walking around the city. It was getting late; they'd already shown her all the good spots in town and Blackstar owned at a game of basketball already.

"Yes, the word 'ame' means 'rain,' however, my full name, Amaterasu, means 'god of the sun.'"

"So you're sun and rain?" Liz asked. Ame nodded, putting a hand behind her ear.

"Contradictory? Creative? Take your pick," she laughed with them.

"I didn't expect the child of life to have such a creative name," Liz remarked. "I mean, with Kid's name, I thought it would be more parallel."

Ame laughed. "Inochigami are more creative than Shinigami. It goes without saying that our names are more creative than 'Death the Kid'."

"Got a problem with that?" Kid asked.

"But, the second incarnation of life was dubbed Shiranui by the human people. This is because she looked like a normal wolf in their eyes."

"Why didn't she just transform into a human?" Kid asked.

"In truth, we couldn't transform before the fourth incarnation. The third incarnation, the first Amaterasu for which I was named, mated with a human. He was actually a prophet of the moon tribe. That is how we are able to transform into humans and foresee hindrances."

"By 'foresee' you mean… see the future?"

"Yes. That's how I knew you would be upset if you saw the lines in my hair and hid them."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Kid spat. "With all this power you're talking about, you have to be more powerful than me. We aren't very equal opposites."

Ame glanced at him, sensing that he was losing his temper again. She danced to her feet and stood behind him, lacing her fingers through the white stripes on the side of his hair.

"You'll grow into your power," she teased, pulling at his hair rather roughly. Kid spazzed, swatting her hands away and standing up. "I only know all this because my mother forced me to study all those boring lessons in that book."

"Book?" Maka asked.

"Yeah, this one," Ame pulled a black-spined white book with a red circle on the front out of her bag.

Kid suddenly jumped in between them, blocking the book from anyone's view, and grabbed Ame's wrist. He gave her a meaningful, yet pleading look.

"You put that away right now," he growled. Ame was startled—frightened. She slowly put the book back in her bag and pulled away from him slowly.

"As an innocent god and all, do you ever fight?" Blackstar didn't seem to sense the tense change in atmosphere.

"Yes," Ame replied.

"Do you have weapons?" Soul questioned.

"Divine Instruments is what we call them, so as not to confuse them with death weapons," Ame held her hands out and a large stone-grey shield materialized in her grasp. "For example, this is the only weapon I have. Divine Retribution, reflector, and humans can't usually see or touch it. But, I can hit almost anything with it as I please."

To demonstrate her point, she gave the shield a powerful swing and it collided with Blackstar's chest. He fell back, unconscious. Kid cringed.

Ame looked to the horizon to see the sun setting. Kid followed her gaze.

"Kind of beautiful, don't you think?" he asked.

"Not at all," Ame scoffed, tossing her hair out of her eyes. Kid turned to her with a confused expression. She grinned and leaned down slightly. "This world is rotten, as you said. And only I can fix that."

With a flip, she suddenly transformed into a wolf with red markings. She threw herself forward and began running along the streets of the city. In her wake, flowers and trees bloomed to unnatural brilliance; animals seemed to get excited as she passed them. She made a full arc around the city, which livened up like they'd never ever imagined before.

She paused at the very top of a cliff behind the city and let out a loud, long, heart-felt howl. The sound was beautiful! Behind her, a large cherry blossom tree sprouted and grew out of nothing. The sun changed behind her; it was no longer an ugly face, but a simple orange disk with divine rays swirling around it.

The scene was breathtaking. This is the glory of the goddess of Life, Inochigami Amaterasu.

And she was back.


	8. Chapter 8

Maka was up extremely late for several nights after that, learning all she could about the Inochigami. She was so overzealous to learn new things that she almost forgot to sleep.

"I get it now," she said as she paced back and forth in her room. Blair was in her cat form, watching Maka passively from her perch on the bed. "Ame releases any kind of Madness she wants. She usually releases a playful wavelength, which is what makes us all so carefree. And since the Black Blood is a generator of Madness, Soul and I are probably the most effected by it."

She stopped pacing immediately and looked out at the laughing crescent moon overhead. "She even told me of a time when the moon was full. I wonder why they don't do that… anymore…."

Now that she thought of it, why didn't anyone know about Inochigami? Not even Kid knew anything of it. Something felt kind of… suspicious.

**Kasureta koe de tobashita omoi mo**

**Todokanai mujou ni kieteku kokoro wo tsukamenai**

**Hitomi ni utsushita kioku kaeshite**

**Kono saki no mirai ni kitto mata deaeru to shin'jite!**

Kid was standing in front of his father in the Death Room. His expression was unreadable.

"Are you serious?" Kid asked. "You really want me to do this? You want me to travel to the edges of the Earth to pick apples?"

"Yes."

"Don't you think a NOT student can handle this?" Kid demanded.

"Oh, no, Kid; these are very special apples and should be handled with care. You're the only one I trust with this task."

"What are you even talking about anymore?" Kid asked.

They Meet Again; The Goddess Driven by Fear?

"It smells so good here!" Patti exclaimed. The seven of them were on another mission, walking through an orchard of apple trees. It was late fall, so it was time for harvesting the rest of the rich fruit.

"And it's not insanely hot!" Liz agreed.

"I'm glad you two aren't complaining," Kid tried to be optimistic. Why was he here? Why was everyone there?

Tsubaki sighed as she looked upward. "It does smell good, doesn't it? I always liked the way fresh fruit would accent the scent of burning wood in the fall."

"Why so down, Kid?" Soul asked, putting an arm around his friend's shoulders. "This is practically an off day for us."

"I guess," Kid mumbled. "Anyway, Dad wants us to pick these apples and bring them back to the academy in time for the banquet on Halloween, so we should get to work."

Kid set a basket down at the base of the tree. Now that he looked at it, the trees did look weird. Maybe this was a test for a new training course? Whatever. Kid grabbed the basket and stood up to see something hanging right in front of him. Kid observed Ame for a moment, taking in her precarious position. She was hanging by her knees from one of the lower limbs of the tall apple trees; her tail wrapped around the branch to ensure her security. Her arms were folded behind her bent knees, keeping her red skirt in place. She stared at Kid.

"There," she said. "Now I can look you directly in the eye."

"Hi, Ame," Kid greeted. It made sense now. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"This was actually my idea," Ame replied simply. Liz put her palm against her face. They were both being too shy. Liz was apparently the only one here that knew Lord Death set them up here so Kid could see Ame again. "I wanted to see you again, so I gave your father a good reason to send you here."

"This isn't a good reason."

"Hey Ame!" Liz called. "Why don't you give us a hand? We're harvesting the apples for a banquet at the academy. If you help, we'll let you come to the party!"

"Yay!" Ame cheered, flipping down and landing on her feet.

Kid notice once more that Ame was at least a foot shorter than him. That must have been what she was talking about when she said she couldn't look him in the eye. How was she going to help them pick apples now? The branches were awfully high.

They split into four teams; Soul and Blackstar, Maka and Tsubaki, Liz and Patti, and… Ame and Kid.

Kid reached for the lowest branch and pulled it down some, bending the wood and plucking off as many apples as he could reach. If he did this in an orderly fashion, then he would have no problem clearing the trees. Ame began picking at one apple at the tip of the branch that Kid missed. She tugged and twisted, but she couldn't get it off. Before she knew it, Kid had let go of the branch and she was shot into the air with a scream.

"I've never seen such healthy apples before," Kid observed. "Did you grow these trees yourself, Ame? Ame, where'd you go?"

"You totally launched her, Kid," Soul pointed upward. Kid looked up to see Ame sitting at the top of the tree. She looked kind of picturesque sitting there on a bed of leaves.

"Hey, that looks like a good idea," Patti thought. "It would definitely get us up there faster than if we climbed. Hey, Kid, how'd ya do that?"

"You are not trying it!" Kid stated. He was proven too late to speak when he saw Tsubaki weeping over Blackstar's corpse.* Apparently someone already tried it. "My point is proven. Ame, you should come down. It's dangerous up there."

"I can pick these while I'm up here," Ame volunteered.

"No, we have to do it in order. Bottom to top, not top to bottom to top again."

"Well, if we attack the mass from the top and the bottom, then turn the tree sideways, wouldn't it be symmetrical like that?"

"What are you… yes, I suppose, but…."

Ame wasn't listening to him. She was plucking apples off the top with alarming speed and throwing them over the side in a nice line. Kid dove to catch the apples in the basket before they hit the ground. After a while, Ame slid down into the inside of the tree and began picking. She slipped on the branch and almost plummeted to her doom when someone caught her.

"Kid?"

"Onto the next tree," Kid stated, setting her down and trying to act as if the others hadn't seen that. "I don't think I can reach these, but if you hold still, I'll give you a leg up."

"So, you'd be carrying her?" Patti asked with a cute smile. Kid twitched in obvious annoyance.

"I said I would give her a _leg up_, that's all," he insisted. He turned around to see Ame wasn't there anymore. He ventured around the other side of the tree to see if she was there when the earth trembled so violently beneath his feet that he fell down. Ame had only stepped back a few feet to get a head start, then when Kid rounded to the other side of the tree, she charged and head-bashed the tree, knocking down all the apples successfully.

Kid sweat-dropped and glared at her. Ame smiled nervously at him as he got to his feet and approached her. He knelt in front of her with a very serious face.

"All the apples are dirty now," he said simply. He was staring into her eyes, making sure that she was paying attention.

"Well…" Ame racked her brain for an excuse. Why was he so close? She'd never seen him like this. "It's the three second rule. You know, the three second rule? You got like five seconds before the germs start hopping on!"

"You hit your head too hard," Kid sighed, knocking on her skull with his knuckles. Ame was fascinated to hear a hollow knocking sound when he did that. She shook her head and got to her feet to help Kid gather all the apples again.

Soul Eater

Since they were in the lead, Ame and Kid took a break for lunch, sitting at the base of one of the trees. Ame was just eating off of a pile of apples for her meal.

"Is that really your meal?" Ame asked, staring at Kid's pathetic sack lunch of a sandwich and an apple.

"Is there something wrong with it?" Kid asked.

"Where's the meat?" she asked. "And why aren't you eating the core of that apple? You ungrateful brat; it's fine once you get past the taste."

To demonstrate her point, she swallowed the entire core with a gulp. Kid sighed.

"I never thought wolves would eat anything besides meat," Kid admitted. Ame laughed.

"Of course. We eat anything edible to survive. However, just like anyone else, we do have our preferences."

"What do you prefer?"

"I guess I like sweet things, but if I eat too much, I get sick. Besides, they aren't that filling, nor very pleasing for long."

"I see," Kid said. "I thought you'd like spicy things; it's the bears that crave the sweet things, right?"

"We do not like spicy things," Ame muttered tensely. "Once, my brothers and I raided a human ship. We found a foreign plant in the shape of a red fang. When we ate it, it burned our insides. We dunked our heads in the lake and devised, once again, that humans were indeed quite frightening."

Ame trailed off somewhat abruptly. Kid turned to look at her. Her bangs hid her face, and her tail was clenched around her legs. Finally, she spoke.

"Did I ever tell you that I once lived with humans?" she asked.

"Ame…."

"I lived in a small apartment with my mom and my two brothers. She took us to Tokyo, where she knew it was too big of a city for anyone to really care about a single mother raising three kids. It was as hard as she expected.

"Feeding us was difficult; we were around the age that we would start hunting, and there weren't any places that we could transform without people seeing us. Mother fed us with rice and fruit for a time. The lack of meat made us all hungry; I would search day and night for food. Once, I even went after the neighbor's dog. He didn't like that much.

"I keep feeling like mom didn't think this through. The hatred felt by all the humans—the pain, the fear, the malice—it was all drawn to me. It was too much for an infant to bear, let alone a wolf. I cried every night. I couldn't help it. The neighbors would get angry and complain. They'd yell at us, telling us to go away. Mother would take us out to the park or the forest in the middle of the night, as far away from the humans as possible, and try to calm me, but it was no use. I still remember, she simply said over and over 'It's alright, it's alright.'

"The last thing that happened before we left was… unexpected. Someone came to our house late at night, demanding to be let in. She was dressed sharply, with glasses and a briefcase. She wanted to take me and my brothers away from mom.

"'I've heard that your children have not had a single exam by a doctor or any vaccinations,' she snapped. She went on and on about how we weren't living in a stable environment and how Mother wasn't raising us right. Mom was scared; she couldn't handle the cold, arrogant, hateful woman.

"'Please, just go away,' she begged, slamming and locking the door.

"We left then. The human world is no place for wolves, not even a wolf god.

"That is why I fear humans," Ame finished. "Dogs are different than wolves because over the years, they have learned to trust and grow close to humans. Wolves know nothing of the sort; that's why we attack them. But I learned one thing throughout that whole ordeal that's helped me grow into a good Inochigami. Someone was there to protect me then, and now I know how to protect others."

Kid's face relaxed into a kind smile. She was so careful with him when he was hurt; she really was a good goddess. However, she didn't know how to protect herself. He vowed he would always be there when she needed someone, no matter the time. He wasn't sure about telling her that yet though.

"Winter's almost here, huh?" Kid looked up at the sky. "Time is money, so we should get back to work soon."

Ame tilted her head as they continued walking. "I've never heard that one before."

"Well, if you're punctual, you can gain more profit out of your actions is all," Kid explained. "I'm sure farmers can tell you more about it, if you desire to know."

"Silly boy," Ame laughed. "It's not that they are punctual; it's that they are good at sensing things, much like the wolf. They get up when they sense morning and sleep when they sense night. They do not care about time and neither do I. We both, however, care about food."

"So I've noticed," Kid said. Ame's lips popped as she dropped the apple she was eating. "I don't know what you do all day to work off all that body fat. All your activities revolve around the finding of food."

"WHAT BODY FAT?!" Ame demanded, jumping on him and gouging her elbow into his back. He struggled underneath her; she was stronger—and heavier—than she looked. A dark cloud of Madness began to surround them. "Take it back!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Kid said frantically. Ame released him and the cloud went away. Kid got to his feet and brushed the dust off his shirt. Ame was pouting by a faraway tree. "Oh, come on, Ame. Don't do that. Will you come back please?"

Ame's lip stuck out further stubbornly. "No."

"We don't have time for this!"

"Who cares?! You're not being paid!"

"Ame."

"They're fighting about _something_," Liz noted as she and the other five stopped for lunch.

"They fight kind of like Maka and Soul," Tsubaki agreed. "It's kind of uncanny. It kind of reminds me of when young couples fight."

Liz laughed. "I've never really seen Kid exactly like this; he's just kind of different around her. I don't know, it seems like he's happier or something."

"Sis?" Patti asked. "Do you think Ame will get to stay with us forever?"

"Yeah, maybe," Liz nodded and watched Ame as she tackled Kid and pinned him to the ground, making odd 'kyan-kyan' sounds.

***I have a bad habit of benching Blackstar… he's annoying….**

**This is an old chapter… like I wrote this in May when I wrote the first draft of the entire story. I'm not quite sure about the plot, but this had some key factors in it that were relevant to Kid and Ame's relationship. I'm not even sure when this took place, because some of the non-chaotic 'Kira' chapters aren't always in chronological order. Anyway, read on and I will update… only if you want me to :3**


	9. Chapter 9

"Our time in this world is limited," Ame said, staring up at the dark sky from where she was sitting on the roof of the cave that served as her home. The stars twinkled and the moon was full, grinning down at them. Nagi and Rin were lying down in the cave beneath her, and Ikiru, the majestic Inochigami that once was, was lying next to Ame.

"Yes," Ikiru agreed. "The humans can't accept our madness. Soon we'll all die out. Have you told him yet?"

"No," Ame murmured.

"You're worse than Lord Death," Ikiru laughed. "He would always distract me when I wanted to know something to. Just remember that I'm always here to listen if you need me."

_**My thoughts I release in a rasping voice**_

_**Disappear into an unreachable void; I cannot grasp the heart.**_

_**Return the memories I've captured in my eyes,**_

_**Believe one day in the future we'll meet again!**_

Liz, Patti, and Kid were all walking home from school. They decided to pick a few things up from the store before heading home since Liz and Patti tried to cook the night before. They had almost nothing left to eat. After a few arguments, they all decided to get their own microwave dinners.

Kid was reading the back of one of the boxes when something caught his eye. Being the richest boy in Death City, at least, he didn't really pay attention to sales tags, but this one was different.

"Pickled plum rice balls half off," he read out loud to himself. "I wonder if Ame would like that."

?

The three of them continued home after making their purchases. Their usual path now ran right by the new cherry blossom tree that Ame had bloomed earlier. Kid looked at the cherry blossom cloud; it still looked very healthy for the time of year. His eyes travelled down the trunk and paused at the roots. He saw a familiar figure nestled between two roots, sleeping.

"That's careless," Kid muttered, kneeling down next to Ame. "Sleeping out in the open like that. Hey, Ame, wake up. You shouldn't sleep here."

She opened her eyes gently and smiled when she saw him.

"Kid-Sem-Pai!" she sang, tackling Kid with a hug.

"Get off!" he snapped as his nose began bleeding slightly. "And will you quit calling me sempai?! We're the exact same age! What were you doing out here anyway?"

"I decided to watch over the city for a while," she replied. "You know, a god's got to do what a god's got to do. I guess I fell asleep." She yawned and stretched, but her attention was brought to the plastic bag in Kid's hands. "What are those?"

"Oh, I um…" Kid rummaged around in the bag until he found two small trays of rice balls. He offered them to her. "I bought these for you. I heard from my father that you're like a pagan god and you like offerings."

"Aw, thank you!" Ame chirped, taking one of the trays from him. "Come on, sit down and relax for a bit."

"But what about the game Soul and the others are playing without us?" Patti demanded.

"You two go without me," Kid said, smiling. "I think I'll stay here with Ame a bit."

"Why, Kid…" Liz gasped in mock horror. "You aren't gaining an… attraction to Ame? I can't believe it! You're actually attracted to other girls!"

"Liz!" Kid complained, his nose bleeding worse than before.

"Alright, you two have fun," Liz gave them a wave. "But not too much fun, you know."

"I'll kill her later," Kid thought, mortified. How could she say something like that in front of Ame? Ame was already insane! He digressed and moved to sit next to Ame. He brought his own tray of rice balls out of the shopping bag and unwrapped them.

"Thanks for the food!" Ame sang, folding her hands in front of her respectfully before digging in. "These are good; but do you think you could bring some with fish next time?"

"Hey, wait a minute," Kid paused. "I'm not your rice ball delivery service. Don't expect all this food from me."

"You lack experience, you know," Ame told Kid as he returned from buying her the fish rice balls she'd demanded of him. He was reluctant at first, but then she threatened him. "However, that just means you will be well-established when you're older."

"How many centuries until I'm as experienced as you?" Kid asked sarcastically. Ame laughed.

"You have sharp wits," she said. "But you know, I'm different than other Inochigami. I have memories that aren't mine. I see things that I shouldn't see."

"What do you mean?" Kid shifted his position and his tone grew serious. Ame sighed.

"I hate my left eye," she said, putting her hand up to touch her green eye. "I wish I could cover it, but that would only upset you. It allows me to see death, those close to death, and how to prevent it. Some death can't be stopped, but sometimes I do something that isn't allowed to save someone who deserves to live."

She turned to look at Kid. "Why didn't you let me show Maka that book?"

Kid swallowed. "That book is forbidden to everyone; only my father has seen its content. He wouldn't hesitate to put anyone to death for even seeing it, even me. I asked him about it the other day… I was actually kind of scared to. He said that now that I knew you, it was okay to learn everything about the gods. But he's kept everything from me all my life. I just freaked out when I saw it. I'm sorry."

"Well, then, it's time for you to start learning," Ame said, pulling the book out of her bag. "Inside this book is the history of Inochigami and Shinigami. Check it out sometime; I already read all of it."

"Thanks," Kid smiled at her slightly. "But I think I got it all down. Ask me anything."

"Okay, here's a test for you. Do you know why we, wolves, attack humans in the mountains?"

Kid eyed her sharp fangs as she spoke. "That's not what I…."

"We eat humans' heads off and try to gain their power."

Kid flinched. He was still slightly afraid of wolves since that Kishin took his sight. Ame laughed once.

"You are but a child," she snarled. "You are no match for me. Tell me, have you ever been attacked in the forest?"

"Yeah," Kid replied quietly. Did she not know this? She was there when that Kishin attacked him. "He… was very formidable."

"It is because he was a wolf," Ame leered. "And he had tasted human's blood. What of your blood, I wonder?"

"Will you stop it?!" Kid snapped. Ame gasped in shock; he'd never yelled at her before. She looked up at him; he was staring at the ground and trembling. "I'm sorry about what happened to you, but please just stop talking for a while."

"Oh," Ame whispered. "Yes, I forgot."

Soul Eater

They sat in silence for a while.

"Are you angry?" Ame whispered.

"Yes," Kid said. "Don't say anything like that ever again."

Ame nodded and lowered her head in shame. She never meant to upset him. A thought crossed Kid's mind and he turned on her.

"Have you ever attacked humans?!"

"I'm a goddess; no matter how afraid I am or the others around me are, I don't want to kill unjustly."

Kid exhaled. "You sound just like my father sometimes. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have forgiven you so easily."

Ame looked up at him, and a coy grin appeared on her face. "And you sound like my mother."

Kid laughed. "You also fiddle with your hands when you want something. He does that a lot too."

"You try too hard to please everybody," Ame retorted kindly, thinking about her own mother. "So, tell me about being a shinigami," Ame said. "I understand the main idea, but I'm sure it's changed over the past eight centuries."

"Dad's actually been a bit more open with me ever since I met you," Kid spoke as they walked around the forest. "He recently told me the old-fashioned way Shinigami killed. We'd just write their names in a book, simple as that. That's how we were related to paper."

"I can just imagine how you'd do with that," Ame snickered.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Ame put on her best imitation of him, making a motion with her hands as if she was writing in a notebook. "It's not neat enough! Why can't letters be symmetrical?!"

Kid laughed. "You're terrible. You're a being of innocence, but you're still terrible."

"It's who I am," Ame shrugged. She looked up at the cherry blossom trees. "Fate is a complicated thing. Sometimes I don't know what I want or who I am."

"I know what you mean," Kid agreed. "Sometimes I can't tell when to be a Grim Reaper and when to be a normal kid. And then my obsessive-compulsive disorder is strung all over the place. It's hard to control myself."

"I know!" Ame nodded. "Without the purpose of a life goddess, I don't know when to be a wolf and if I should ever be human. It's the same anywhere I go anyway; I still have the appetite of a wolf."

Kid chuckled. "Is that so? For being the embodiment of purity, you sure are gluttonous."

Ame sniffed and grinned at him. Kid hesitantly returned the smile.

"It's weird, I don't even talk to my own weapons like this," he sighed. "I mean… I guess they wouldn't understand. They have their own problems, but they don't know what it's like to have the fate of the world in their hands, you know?"

"Yeah," Ame agreed. "But we can share that fate now, can't we? Even if we live in different places, and Inochigami have been working undercover for the past eight hundred years, our parents couldn't hide us from each other forever. The fate of two worlds… in our hands."

"Agreed."

Ame was lying in the grass in front of her cave. Rin and Nagi were playing a few feet away from her, howling occasionally at the full moon. Ame folded her hands behind her head and stared at the stars; incomplete constellations, missing stars from where they had fallen when the deities had lent their helping hands to the war between the Spider Queen and the gods, filled the sky. If only Ame could complete them and gain the deities' powers. She doubted Kid knew even half of the world they used to rule together. Now, they were severed in half.

She thought of what she and Kid had discussed earlier about food. What did she crave? Who cared? Humans didn't. She reminisced about the argument they had as well. She sighed.

"We live in two worlds, and they are very different from each other," she said.


	10. Chapter 10

**Kasureta koe de tobashita omoi mo**

**Todokanai mujou ni kieteku kokoro wo tsukamenai**

**Hitomi ni utsushita kioku kaeshite**

**Kono saki no mirai ni kitto mata deaeru to shin'jite!**

"Hey Mom, can I invite my friend over?" Ame asked.

Ikiru was lying down on the roof of the cave again, watching her cubs play. She looked at her youngest with golden eyes.

"Of course," she nodded. Her voice was strong, but calm and polite. Ame didn't know why, but she was suddenly reminded of Kid and his obsessively gentlemanly ways. "However," Ikiru continued. "If they do anything stupid, I'll have to gouge their eyes out and burn their insides."

"Yay!" Ame cheered, throwing her hands up in victory.

Ame's Home; Kishin Who Skip Through a Cherry Blossom Forest?

The next day, Ame met Kid by the side of the forest.

"You ready to go?" she asked him.

"Yeah."

"Come on," she said, guiding him through the brush and trees, deeper into the forest than he had ever gone before. "You must never come here without me. My mom thought today of all days was best to bring up the talk."

"The talk?" Kid asked. "Like, the 'honey, don't give into pressure' talk?"

"Yes," Ame winced. "I mean, seriously, Mom, I know I'm a kid, but I'm still a god. I won't do anything rash. Well, I do have tons of power, but I have to be careful. If I use it for silly or selfish reasons, or if someone pressures me into it, it could cause a paradox. I totally get that!"

"But the way they talk to you is so embarrassing," Kid sympathized. "I've never been able to talk about this, and I was actually going to keep it from you like everyone else, but I guess you have the same problem. And I know I'm a bit selfish, but thinking that their own children could do some of that horrible stuff just because they have power is sick."

"They just don't want us to end up like Asura," Ame said. Kid's pace slowed.

"Ame…? What you said earlier… about your eye…."

"Yes, I remember," Ame wasn't facing him. Her tone was stifled somehow, as if it wasn't really her talking. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring it up to anyone else. Not even my mother."

"Okay."

"It was Asura," she began quietly. "He gouged my sister's eye out and put it in his forehead. With the abilities it gave him, he became a monster and killed her. I bet he's sorry though." She laughed lightly and turned to him with a bright smile on her child-like face. "Come on, let's eat!"

They stopped by a river to relax and eat lunch. Kid stared at the mountains and trees with a serene smile. This was a world untouched by humans.

"It's so peaceful here," he said. "I never thought a place like this could exist. You all just live at peace with each other. I know now why the world is in such imbalance and disarray. You're an Inochigami, whether you believe it or not, with divine judgment and you deserve to be in this world just like I do. Maybe… we could change this fate. Maybe there's still a chance for you. Don't you think?"

He turned to her to see her laying down, her eyes closed. "Hey, did you fall asleep?"

He didn't think his speech was that boring, but they both got a bit spacey sometimes. Her eyes were closed and her breath was heavy with sleep. Kid smiled; she was kind of endearing, no matter how a-symmetrical she was. Kid packed his lunch and got to his feet. He'd explore a bit, but he wouldn't go far. He found a small cave, no doubt where Ame and her brothers stayed. He turned around when he saw a large wolf perched on the roof of the cave. Kid jumped back in surprise.

"You're Lord Death's son, aren't you?" the wolf asked in her elegant, yet deep, wolfine voice. Her mouth moved only slightly when she spoke, like all the other animals. "I can tell by the stripes in your hair."

"I am Death the Kid," he nodded quietly. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt strong fear in her presence. "Are you Ikiru, the goddess of Life?"

"Oh, so you have heard of me?" she quizzed. "I know Lord Death keeps us a secret out here, per my wishes. I don't want the humans to bother us anymore. Tell me, what do you feel towards my daughter, Ame?"

"I… I guess I never thought about it," Kid admitted. Ikiru was different than Ame told him. His expression became wistful as he gazed at the girl sleeping by the river bank. "I dream about her every night."

"That's all you can say?!" Ikiru snarled. She laughed. "You're even worse than Asura. It's his fault that my first daughter died. My own flesh and blood, torn apart by that coward."

Kid suppressed a shudder as he snapped his gaze to her.

"Ikiru, why can't the humans and the forest live together in peace?" he asked.

"You think I'd give you a different answer than your father did?" Ikiru growled. "The humans don't need us anymore. I lie hear, listening to the pain of my brothers and sisters as they become Kishin or die. You and your comrades will hunt us down and the blades of your weapons will burn us alive."

"And what happens to Ame?" Kid pressed. "You're just going to let her die with the rest of you?"

"You think like a human," Ikiru snapped. "Typical. Selfish. Ame is my daughter. She is a true Inochigami. When the forest dies, so does she."

"You must set her free!" Kid shouted. "Ame can live with us. She doesn't have to endure this curse with you."

"Silence, boy!" Ikiru barked.

Isn't it ironic how the god of death is cheerful, but the goddess of life is scary as heck?

"How dare you speak to a god like that? What happens when those stripes in your hair connect?"

"I will surpass my father and he will die," Kid replied quietly.

"And has he accepted that fate? Ame isn't only the spirit of life, but she is also the embodiment of innocence, and a creature of love. The thing that you think makes her ugly—her eye—is unclouded by hate. When she transformed into a human, I knew she had been chosen to surpass me, but we have no purpose. Now my poor, ugly, beautiful daughter is something neither god nor mortal. Those humans are killing her, and yet she loves them all. If Ame becomes human, the hate will consume her and she will become a Kishin egg and die."

Kid tensed. "Humans aren't just hatred; I can protect her."

Ikiru laughed sadistically. "How? Are you going to keep her locked up in some cage? Or are you going to force her to stay in this graveyard of spirits after we all pass? Face it, Kid, you can't help her. None of you can. Love Ame, treasure her, because when she's gone, you will never be able to love again."

Soul Eater

Kid stared ahead at the river as Ame continued sleeping. The wolf awoke, sitting up, yawning, and rubbing her eyes. Kid glanced at her and smiled as if nothing was wrong.

"Good morning, sunshine," he greeted softly. Ame smiled back, but snapped to attention when she noticed his troubled expression.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Kid didn't want to lie to her.

"Well. I… met your mother," he explained quietly.

"Oh," Ame winced. "Awkward."

Kid was glad to get as far from the den as possible. Ame didn't seem troubled anymore, either. She skipped beside him as they continued through a grove of cherry blossoms, swinging her arms back and forth childishly. It all felt very ancient-Japan to Kid. Ame started to hum, then she started to sing.

"All of the frogs, Go Kero-kero,

And won't even lose to the rain

When it gets cold, they hibernate,

It is the Mashiju-sama's Destiny!"

Kid began giggling under his breath. She was hard to take seriously sometimes with the silly songs she sang.

"All of the frogs, go jumping around

And they won't lose to the wind

Their little tails, go wiggling around,

It is the Tadpole's Destiny!"

Kid couldn't contain it anymore; he began laughing, which is what Ame wanted, of course. Kid realized how rude he was being laughing at someone when her feelings could be hurt.

"I'm sorry," Kid covered his mouth with his hands, composing himself, but still smiling. "I didn't mean to laugh."

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile like that," Ame noticed, squinting at him with a soft grin on her face. "I really like it; it gives me a homey feeling."

"What do you mean 'homey'?" Kid asked as they continued walking.

"There are many homes in the human world that I can't help but like," Ame sighed, letting her gaze reach up to the plushy clouds. Cherry blossoms rained around them. "There are homes with kids and homes with elders. There are big homes and little homes. They all have stories behind every stain and every repair. They have people going to jobs and school, and coming home after each day, and their home is always there for them." *****

Kid thought about it. She could be talking about houses, but he knew she was honestly talking about families. They paused on the edge of a cliff, overlooking a vast valley. Several animals, deer, boars, foxes, and small vermin, scampered, skittered, and sprinted across the green grass. There wasn't too much green like in most park reserves, and it wasn't too brown like commonly humanly-run communities. Kid was once again astounded by the perfect balance of this world.

"I think it's just my natural instinct to want to grow up," Ame continued, staring off the cliff and looking at the valley below. "I don't know where I belong. Without my purpose, should I stay here, or try to live in the normal world and make my own home?" She sighed quietly. It sounded like she liked that idea. "Every day would be a good day that I have a home. I'd come home in the evening just to simply say 'I'm home!'"

Kid waited a moment to admit what he was thinking.

"And I'd tell you, 'Welcome home.'"

Ame gasped and turned to look at him, her eyes wide and filled with tears she'd been trying to hide. Kid smiled.

"You could be at home with me, Ame," he said quietly. Ame's mouth opened, as if she wanted to say something, but she put her head down and began rubbing her eyes on her sleeve. Kid instantly felt bad for making her cry. He put a hand on her shoulder with a concerned look on his face. "Hey, are you okay? I didn't mean to upset you."

"I fear you don't yet know the purpose behind your words," she whispered. She looked up suddenly, sniffing the air and raising her ears attentively. Kid didn't react; she probably found another rat. He was surprised, however, when she tackled him, shoving him into a small nook between two trees.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing you animal?!" he demanded. "Get off!"

"Shh," Ame whispered, curling her tail around his waist. Kid eyed her position uncertainly; she was standing over him in a way that she covered his entire body with her own. She pressed her body closer to him, her scent covering his. Kid blushed at the closeness.

'Get off,' he thought. 'Get off, get off, get off, please get off.'

Ame was staring out the opening of their little hiding spot, aggression radiating off her raised hackles. After a moment of complete silence, Kid saw the shadowy figure of a large animal brush past, sniffing the air and the plants as if searching for something. Kid gasped and Ame put her hand over his mouth. After determining whatever it was looking for wasn't there, it moved on. Ame sat up, her nose twitching.

"That boar was looking for you," she said. She got to her feet hurriedly and pulled Kid out of the burrow. "You need to leave. Now."

"Ame?" Kid stumbled after her. "Why do all the animals want to eat me?"

"For the same reason I said, Kid," Ame's voice was dark. "They wish to gain your power."

** Gasp! They're after Kid! What do you think will happen? Who is looking for him anyway? We're nearing the conclusion of the first arc people, and it will change Ame and Kid's lives forever.**


	11. Chapter 11

"It's getting kind of dark," Liz noticed, looking up at the sky. It had been sunny a moment ago, but a collection of vast, dark clouds began swallowing the sun. Only a few rays were left, like beacons of hope, to shine through the darkening evening.

"I don't like the looks of that," Soul said uneasily. Maka nodded, searching the souls in the area for any sign of a threat.

A deep rumble echoed overhead and a sharp wind cut throughout the streets. Patti shivered at the sudden drop in temperature, wishing she had brought her jacket. She felt a very dark form of madness begin to overwhelm her.

"Sis," she whispered in fear. Liz, not having the slightest clue to what triggered her sister's strange behavior, wrapped and arm around her in an attempt to keep her warm. They were suddenly reminded of those cold nights on the streets.

"Hey, look," Blackstar pointed down the street, where two large white wolves were running towards them.

"It's Rin and Nagi!" Tsubaki cried. Nagi was carrying Ame, whilst Rin had a certain boy on his back.

"Kid!" Liz and Patti cried, sprinting to meet them. They helped Kid down off the wolf and supported him as he struggled to stand. He was limping badly.

"Girls, I'm fine," he insisted as they fussed over him.

"Ame?" Liz looked at the wolf girl desperately for an explanation.

"We were in a hurry and he slipped," Ame explained quickly. "Get him to the DWMA now. Someone's looking for him and I don't think they're very friendly. Nagi, Rin, and I will come to help you as soon as we can. The rest of you, go home."

"But Ame," Maka protested. She couldn't just go home when her friends were in danger.

"Do as I say!" Ame snapped. Her ears perked at the sound of another gale storm coming their way. Nagi raised his head, unused to carrying Ame and not being able to defend himself as he pleased.

"Do you feel that?" he rumbled.

"Yeah," Ame nodded. "And it doesn't sound good."

The Price of the Inochigami's Power; Is It Truly Worth It?

"I heard you ran into a Kishin," Lord Death told Kid absentmindedly. "I'm glad Ame was there; you could have gotten hurt again."

"Father, I want to ask you something really important," Kid ignored him. "Why can't the Inochigami live in the normal world like the Shinigami can?"

Lord Death was silent. For a moment, Kid thought he was trying to figure a way to tell him something. But alas, of course Lord Death was only going to distract him.

"Liz and Patti said you two are attracted to each other," he said, pointing a finger in no particular direction. "That's good. It's about time you start liking other girls, Kid."

"I do not like her," Kid snapped, stealing a glare at his two weapons. "I don't know where they'd get that idea."

"For starters, you're both gods."

Kid blinked. "So?"

"You may be human, not wolf, but you still have the divine judgment of a god that no one else does. I suppose you two have already found quite a few things you have in common. Centuries ago, Ikiru and I agreed that our children would actually be betrothed."

"I can't believe you agreed to something like that," Kid muttered. "It's the twenty-first century, Dad."

"It was a long time ago, Kiddo. Besides, you two look so cute together."

Kid still didn't look very happy about it. Lord Death sighed.

"You don't have to worry about the whole betrothed thing," he continued. "It was cancelled anyway."

Kid tried to keep his tone casual. "Uhm… what made you change your mind?"

Silence. It seemed Lord Death said more than he should have.

"I have to know," Kid insisted. "What happened eight hundred years ago? Does it have to do with Asura?"

More silence. Kid was getting nowhere with him. He turned sharply.

"Fine. Don't tell me; I don't have time for this."

"Wait, Kid," Lord Death cautioned. Kid turned his head. "Don't… don't call Ame a coward or anything if she runs away. You see, Inochigami have ultimate power over the very fabric of existence, but it comes with a price."

Kid was listening.

"Ame isn't immortal, Kid."

"What do you mean?!" Kid tried to hide his horror.

"Inochigami can live as long as their Shinigami counterpart does, unless they suffer from a fatal wound. They're still pretty strong and can tough quite a few things out, but 800 years ago, someone found a loophole. But that's all you can know from me; you and Ame must find out the truth for yourselves."

Soul Eater

"Kid! Liz! Patti!" Ame shouted at the trio. She, Nagi, and Rin had been waiting for them. The two groups were going on a mission together to find the source of the darkness that had accumulated over several areas in the world. Their search had led them to ruins of and Irish temple. Ame waved at them exuberantly. "We've been waiting for you!"

"You could have gone ahead," Kid said, jumping off his skateboard. "You didn't have to wait so long. I wouldn't have; we wouldn't have made a lot of progress otherwise."

Ame deadpanned before tackling him to the ground and smacking his chest with her tiny palms. The force behind the attack was so weak that Kid suppressed laughter. Liz and Patti transformed, standing beside Nagi and Rin and watching the scene with grins on their faces.

"THAT'S MEAN!" Ame shouted, but it was more like a whisper. Kid grinned good-naturedly at her.

"I was only joking," he explained. "Of course I would wait for you."

Ame froze in her slapping, making a soft chattering sound at the back of her throat.

"Awww!" Liz squeaked. She'd always been a sucker for romance.

"So cute!" Patti squealed.

"Now," Kid said assertively. "Get. Off. Me."

Nagi and Rin waited outside the small village they were investigating. Liz and Patti dispersed in one direction, whilst Kid and Ame went the other way. Kid was alone. With her. Again. He asked around a bit, and Ame went around petting stray animals. Kid made sure not to let her touch him after that.

"Can the animals understand you?" he asked her. "Are you getting information?"

"A little, yes," Ame admitted. "But most of them are scared. This madness is dark and enough to make even wolves cringe. Ah—look over there!"

She pointed eagerly at a small stall where am old woman was selling baked bread. Kid relaxed, more than annoyed at her for freaking out about nothing again. Ame's tail was wagging and her hands were balled into fists in front of her chest. Kid even saw a thin trail of water curving down the side of her lip.

"That smells wonderful!" she exclaimed. "Just imagine—thick, soft, and buttery. It's making me hungry!"

"You're drooling," Kid said bluntly in disgust. "Now could you focus on the mission, perhaps?"

Kid was about to move on when a small rumble sounded from Ame's stomach. He sweat-dropped.

"I guess it can't be helped," he sighed. He stepped up to the stall and ordered one SMALL loaf for Ame. He fingered through the small amount of Irish currency in his pocket and handed the elderly woman an appropriate amount.

"You two look adorable together," the woman purred in her soft, whispery voice. Kid smiled half-heartedly at her.

"Thank you, but we're not together," he explained as politely as he could.

"What a shame," the woman murmured, handing him the bread. Kid passed the food to Ame.

"Here," he said. "Eat quickly. We need to keep moving."

Ame began stuffing her face, digging her fangs greedily into the soft substance and hardly chewing before swallowing it whole. Kid could hear every bite roll down her fleshy throat; the sound wasn't actually as bad as he'd expected.

"Honestly, you disgust me," Kid muttered. Ame looked up at him, butter dripping from her lips. "How can you eat so much? I mean, I know humans with your appetite and physic wouldn't get far."

"Well, wolves are not like humans in that sense," Ame said, licking her fingers. "At least I'm not like that, as a goddess. You humans upgrade your health and endurance by straining your bodies. I gain health and endurance by indulging myself."

"I'm supposed to say you're lucky now, aren't I?" Kid asked.

"If that is what you wish," Ame said. "But Inochigami deserve more considering how much more we do. We bring life to the world, for goodness sake."

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for Shinigami?" Kid demanded, immediately offended by her statement. "Do you know how hard it is to find evildoers and bring them to justice? We have to find them, provide evidence of their crimes, and give them a trial. It's all very taxing, so don't go around underestimating us."

"You know Inochigami have to keep the land and our people alive," Ame snapped, swishing her tail angrily. Liz and Patti met up with them then. They caught up on the argument almost immediately.

"Looks like they're having a common sexist fight with their own personal twist," Liz said. Patti giggled as Ame continued speaking.

"It's hard to keep fields ripe in harvest and the people out of trouble."

"That would explain your faulty work," Kid grumbled. Liz grinned; the four others were loving this. "Half the fields are destroyed by your animals and crushed by the weather."

"That's not entirely my fault," Ame defended herself. "I have to let the land rest every once and a while. Besides; who are you to talk about farming? You hardly do any work."

"Did I not just explain to you the duties of a Shinigami?" Kid closed his eyes. He was getting a headache.

"Yeah, but you have two weapons to do most of it for you," Ame sighed, stroking her tail.

"Hey, like you're the one to talk!" Kid pointed an accusing finger at her. "Your brothers carry you around everywhere. Didn't you say you have another form of your own? Why can't you just use that?"

"My other form is hideous and it will frighten you," Ame replied harshly.

"And what a gloriously strong form it is," a mysterious voice murmured behind them. Ame turned around as the others looked up. On the edge of the city was a figure in a dark grey cloak, standing next to Nagi and Rin. Ame's nose twitched.

"What's this?" she thought. "Another wolf?"


	12. Chapter 12

"I've been awaiting your return, Benevolent Amaterasu," the figure continued. "I praise you for very presence; you shine light upon this darkening realm."

Ame's soul began glowing slightly, as if the praise was a material thing that she could absorb. Ame shook her head nervously. "You don't have to do that; I'm not really a god—just a wolf. I have no power to save anyone."

"Yes, you do. I can tell by the crimson markings on your fur. And that Divine Instrument on your back."

"What is she talking about?" Kid whispered.

"Don't think I can't hear you," the figure snapped. "I have the eyes of a wolf as well as the ears of a wolf."

"She can see my true form," Ame whispered. She raised her voice as she addressed the stranger. "Only divine entities can see my true form. What are you?"

The figure removed her hood. It was a girl with grey hair and frosty blue eyes. She had wolf ears and a blue-tipped tail. She didn't look particularly godlike like Ame; her face was contorted, more like a wolf's face. She could have been described as… horrific but beautiful.

"You're a werewolf?" Liz asked. Almost by instinct, the sisters transformed for Kid. Ame put a firm hand on his shoulder, gripping the bone so hard that it hurt. Kid glanced at Ame.

"Who are you?" Ame asked carefully.

"I am Lorraine," the wolf replied. "I'm not originally from here, but my lycanthropic… condition drove me away from my tribe. I didn't want to stay with them anyway, for they were against you, dearest Amaterasu."

"How do you know me?"

"It's in the prophecy of the ruined temple," Lorraine replied. "I've long awaited your return that you may purge the world of this madness defiled by evil."

"Madness… defiled," Kid thought, finally lowering his weapons. "I never thought of it like that."

"Where is it coming from?" Kid asked.

"I'm not talking to you, fool," Lorraine snapped. Kid was taken aback by this; no one had ever flat-out rejected him before.

"Rude," he muttered. "Go to the temple. You'll find what you're looking for there and there alone. All of it."

Irish Temple of Answers; Who's the Meat Shield?

"What did the werewolf mean by all that?" Liz asked Kid as he flew alongside the wolves towards the ruins.

"That's what I'd like to know," Kid said. "I bet it has something to do with what happened eight hundred years ago; I just have a feeling. Ame!"

The wolf girl looked at him from where she was sitting on the running wolf's back.

"Will you be able to fight without any weapons?"

"I guess I'll have to," Ame admitted. "You know, it's times like these that I wonder why my mom let all her power go like that."

"It's still in you," Kid said. "I sense it. Maybe if you tried, then—"

"No!" Ame barked. "I don't want to use my left eye to see what brushstrokes to use to destroy my enemy, Kid!"

"Here we are," Kid stated as they paused in front of the stone ruins. An ominous purple and black light was shining from the center, forming a pillar up to the sky. Liz shivered. Why did the atmosphere feel so familiar? Kid felt it as well; a distinct wavelength of a particular witch.

"Ame," one snarled quietly. "Do you sense that?"

"Yeah," Ame nodded.

"I feel it too," Kid said, getting off his skateboard. "Ame, since you're unarmed, I want you to stay behind me."

"What? No way," Ame disagreed stubbornly. "I'm your meat shield, remember?"

"I never agreed to that!"

Ame dismounted and signaled for the two wolves to go forward and search for danger. She and Kid, along with his weapons, proceeded through the ruins. The walls of the dungeon were crumbling, but it was still possible to make out what used to be paintings and carvings on the wall.

"What are these ruins of anyway?" Liz asked.

"It was a sacred temple," Kid stated. "But I'm not really sure what it was for. It was destroyed a long time ago, hit by a star."

"A star?" Liz clarified.

"Lesser deities wielding immense power," Ame began to explain. "They lived in the skies, contained in constellations. They ripped pieces of their bodies off and threw them down. Now the constellations are incomplete and the gods are as useful as I am."

"Hey, look at that!" Liz said. Kid stopped walking and looked up. The nearest wall was covered in images.

"It's Ame," Patti said. Sure enough, in the center of the wall, there was a painting of a woman with long white hair and red markings in a crimson kimono. Her eyes were closed and, if Kid hadn't known better, he would have thought she was symmetrical in every way. Kneeling beside the maiden, holding each of her hands, were two symmetrical beings, each containing an element. They were shamans.

"What is this?" Kid wondered, tilting his head and stepping closer to the wall. Another picture was of a familiar spider symbol. "Hey, I've seen that before."

"That looks like…" Ame thought. "These are the ruins where the legend of our parents was kept!"

"No way," Kid gasped.

"It looks like my mother wasn't the only one who decided the world couldn't handle madness," Ame continued, looking down the wall. There were strange runes and kanji subtitling the images.

"Can you read that?" Liz asked. "You said you spoke every language, so…."

"It's hard to piece together," Ame replied. "Half of it's gone, but… it says here that the Spider Queen used the divine powers to create something. That's what drove my mother away," Ame gasped with realization. "So it wasn't our fault. And this Spider Queen… she's the one that gouged out my sister's eye and used it to make the demon weapons."

"It's not a Kishin here," Kid said. "It's a witch."

Soul Eater

"Kid, I don't have a good feeling about this."

Ame's tail tucked in between her knees and her ears laid flat against her skull. Kid noticed her distress and shot her a calm glance.

"Whatever happens, I can protect you," he assured her. "I know you saw what happened when I got hurt, but I promise it won't happen again."

"I'm not worried about that now," Ame snapped. "If worse comes to worse, I can run; you can't. Please, just call your father and tell him to send some others."

Kid sighed. "Relax, unlike you, I'm immortal. I suppose I should give him an update about the mission, though. But don't get your fur in a bunch; you're underestimating me. Girls, will you keep them posted? I'll only be a minute."

"No problem!" Patti cheered as the twins transformed. Liz sighed. Kid was being kind of hypocritical; arguing with Ame for her being overprotective of him, but him being overprotective of her at the same time. While Kid was gone, Liz looked at Ame.

"You're kind of a mystery, you know that?" Liz said. Ame blinked and turned tilted her head like a curious cub. "I don't think I'd ever be able to control myself if I was supposed to be a god but wasn't because of someone else's stupid mistake."

"I'm not that strange, am I?" Ame asked innocently. Liz smiled at her.

"Why don't we try doing something normal when this is all over?" she continued. "You know, get to know each other better. God or not, you're still a kid. Cut back a bit. I like the clumsy Ame better."

"I think I'd like that," Ame smiled back. Kid returned, and he was happy to see they were getting along. They seemed to be chatting together as if nothing bad was going on, as if they were just school girls chatting by their lockers in between classes. He'd never seen Ame look so normal before, and, he was surprised to find, he liked it.

"Come on," he said as he returned. "We have to find the source of this madness. We have to find out what this witch is up to."

They found the witch in the center of the ruins with a circle of witch souls around her. She was reviving something.

"Come to me, Spider Queen," she said.

Ame froze in her tracks. She was reviving the Spider Queen?! She lunged out toward the demon witch, scattering her souls and interrupting her ritual.

"No!" she barked.

"Ame!" Kid yelled, running into the room after her. "What are you doing?!"

"The child of Madness?" the witch wondered. She laughed, throwing the wolf girl aside. Ame landed on all four feet in a wolfish recoil. "And the child of Death—how ironic, what an intervention indeed."

Kid raised his weapons threateningly. "What do you intend to do with all these souls?"

"You think I'd just reveal my plan to you just like that?" the witch cackled. "Of course, it wouldn't matter since there isn't anything the powerless Amaterasu can do to stop me."

Ame flinched.

"I'm going to revive who overthrew Ikiru in the first place, that she may too overthrow your father."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kid demanded. "Ikiru wasn't overthrown. She gave up for the good of her people."

"A decisive defeat," the witch murmured. "Have you not the knowledge of what happened 800 years ago?"

Kid was silent. Ame raised herself onto two feet in attentiveness.

Kid gasped and almost dropped his weapons. "The Spider Queen… of course! Arachne!"

"Lady Arachne used Ikiru's daughter's left eye to create weapons of destruction that she may use to surpass the gods. Then your foolish father and old what's-his-face harnessed the rest of the Madness in the demon tools that he used to defeat her. Ikiru left the world in chaos, for she knew it was the only thing she could create."

"SHUT UP!" a voice boomed through the room as a certain ninja lunged toward her from the shadows. "IF ANYONE SURPASSES GOD, IT'S GOING TO BE ME!"

"Blackstar?" Kid gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"The same thing we all are," Maka replied, appearing right beside him. "Lord Death sent us; he thought you might need help."

"Glad to know he has faith in me," Kid muttered sarcastically.

"You try too hard, Kid; this is a freaking witch we're up against," Maka said in a reassuring tone. "Besides, we're here for Ame too. Lucky Eight, remember?"

Kid thought about the nickname Ame had unintentionally given the group. He smiled and nodded.

"Let's go," he said. Maka nodded and charged at the

"You ungrateful brats!" the witch snapped. "Arachne will return! She will become a goddess. And I shall become an angel."


	13. Chapter 13

"You ungrateful brats!" the witch snapped. "Arachne will return! She will become a goddess. And I shall become an angel."

A Battle of Gods and Demons; Will Ame Learn Her First Brush Technique?

The battle began, all three meisters doing their best to do damage to the witch. Nonetheless, this was still a witch they were up against, and she proved to be a hard enemy.

"You witch!" Blackstar shouted. "Your soul is mine!"

"Pathetic insect," the witch spat, shooting violet smoke at him.

"Ame!" Kid shouted. "Remember that 'other form' you were talking about? Wouldn't that be useful right now?"

Ame hesitated. Kid saw the inner battle conflicting inside her. She was just kneeling on the ground while her brothers circled her, protecting her from the witch's attacks. Kid knew what her problem was; it was the same problem he'd had. She was weak, and she was leaving everyone on their own. She couldn't fight.

"Liz?" Kid asked.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Liz asked.

"You know you're better at this kind of thing than I am," Kid said softly. Liz smiled to herself. He'd never said anything like that to her. Nonetheless, she focused on Ame.

"Come on, get up!" Liz shouted. "We'll all die if you don't use some of that 'Divine Power' of yours! I know it's forbidden, but you have to break the rules sometimes in order to do what's right. Think about Kid! He'd be dead right now if it weren't for your interference!"

"And we wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for me breaking the rules in the first place," Ame whispered. "This is all our fault. Our Madness shouldn't exist."

"What are you talking about?!" Liz demanded. "We just resolved that it was Arachne that—"

"I'm not talking about that," Ame admitted quietly. Things seemed to go in slow motion for a moment. "You see, I…."

"Ame, come on! I—!" Kid cut himself off with a yell when one of the witch's spells hit him dead in the chest.

"Kid!" his weapons cried.

"Ame, please!" Liz screamed. "I shouldn't have to plead you for your help! What kind of goddess would have her people begging at her feet until she does something about it?!"

Ame shook her head, a loud yell rising in her throat as she charged at the witch, tackling her to the ground and growling. The world seemed to freeze for a moment as a bright light surrounded Ame. She looked up at the dark sky. Three blue stars shone in a pattern above her. She reached out to draw a fourth star and watched the constellation come to life.

"Ah, Amaterasu," a squeaky voice said. The light dimmed to reveal a white mouse on a sword in front of her. "It is about time we met. I am Tachigami, the mouse god of the Chinese Zodiac and guardian of the first brush technique. You have overcome your fear of power and embraced your true self at last. I now give you the power to cut your enemies down to size by drawing a single line. Use this power to protect and conquer."

"Ame! Look out!"

The witch threw Ame aside, and the wolf collapsed in a pile of rubble. Kid stared at the lifeless wolf in shock.

"Ame! No…."

Ame's eyes opened. She leapt to her feet and several bands of light surrounded her like a closing flower. When the mist cleared, there stood a white wolf. Not just any white wolf, like Ame's brothers; Ame's form had crimson markings on her shoulders and face. The tip of her tail, which had once been a faded grey, was now vibrantly black with fresh ink. She ran towards the evil witch, snarling and growling.

Just before Ame made contact with the witch, a flaming disk appeared in her mouth. She swung her head to the side, successfully striking the witch down. The disk recoiled to hover magnetically above Ame's back as she stood, her tail ribboning with fury, over the witch. Kid stared at the Divine entity with awe; Ame was embracing her position as a goddess!

"Nameless witch of rage and hate," Ame addressed. "You have defiled the art of Madness and you've driven evil into this world. As Inochigami Amaterasu, I judge you."

"What?!" the witch began to panic. As a final attempt at succeeding in her plan, the witch did something that no one expected. Her soul left her body, which dissipated into nothing more than a corpse, and went directly into the first person it could find… Kid.

"No!" Ame cried as she shredded the lifeless body of the witch.

Kid gasped in fear and threw his weapons aside, not wanting them to be corrupted by the combined wavelengths.

"Get out!" he screamed. He doubled over and began coughing up blood as her soul began tearing through his. He was in an absolute panic, trying to fight and claw at whatever was already inside him. His weapons and friends could do nothing but watch in horror as he began clawing at his own throat. He felt incredible pain all over his body as the evil began to consume him. His eyes turned red and five vertical lines appeared over his mouth. He was shaking in fear. He could see everything in that witch's mind. Her plans, her thoughts.

"We can't attack when she possesses him like that," Tsubaki said. "We'll only end up hurting him."

"What can we do?!" Liz cried in panic. "She's killing him!"

"Stay away," Kid warned, collapsing to his knees.

"Kid!" Liz screamed, running towards him. She knelt beside him. "Kid, come on, snap out of it!"

"Liz," Kid cried, turning towards her. It scared her, but his demonic, red eyes were filled with remorse. He was weak again; he'd failed her… again. "Liz, I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare say anything like that!" Liz shouted, tears brimming her blue eyes. "Just hang on, I promise I'll get her out!"

Kid tried to push her away, but Liz persistently wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. He stared forward blankly as she started crying into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry about what happened and I'm sorry I couldn't help you. Please, Kid—stop beating yourself up about this. Hasn't Ame taught you anything? It's okay to feel weak sometimes. You're weak now, but please just trust us; we can help you. Please."

Kid closed his eyes, putting one hand on her shoulder. Liz cried out in pain as he threw her back against the wall forcefully. She realized as she looked into his cold, harsh eyes that he was lost. She had failed him. She closed her eyes, merely waiting for death, when a cry came out from somewhere above them.

"Exorcism Paper Slash!" Ame cried, charging at the boy she loved.

"I don't know if I can do this," Ame thought. "This is a powerful exorcism move that has only been used by my mother. If something goes wrong, then Kid will die from this power."

"Whatever you choose to do," her mother's voice echoed in her head from a distant memory. "Be sure you do it for the right reasons. Know what you're fighting for. Once you know this, you'll have the strength to save the one you love."

"Yes," Ame thought. "I am fighting for him that he may live and preserve peace like he was destined to do. I'm also doing it for Liz and Patti, so they won't have to bear the pain of watching their meister die. Same for the others, and Lord Death. He deserves to have someone as wonderful as Kid for a son, and he deserves to keep him!"

A brilliant light shone from her soul as she shot forward, bringing her paintbrush tail across Kid's chest, separating the two conflicting souls inside him. The witch's soul and spirit completely dissolved, moving on to a darker place to reside. Kid collapsed to the floor in a pool of his own blood.

Kid felt a subtle warmth in his soul. It was the same healing warmth that he had felt when Ame healed his eyes and exorcised them of the demons. Everything was dark, but Kid felt safe. He could hear a gentle voice speaking to him, singing. He recognized it as Ame's demon lullaby.

"_Sleep all you like… watch the path we take, for at its end, we may meet a demon_…."

"Kid," a voice murmured. "It's time to wake up now."

"Ikiru?" Kid whispered in his subconscious, searching for the white wolf. He'd heard her voice before, but she'd never seemed so gentle, so kind….

"Kid, wake up!"

Kid opened his eyes wearily, relieved to see the faces of his two weapons and Ame. He never really expected to see her face, but he liked seeing her worried about him. Not that he meant to worry any of them—it was just a nice feeling that he was cared for and appreciated.

It was a homey feeling.

One last thing before the story is resolved; another bright light began glowing above them. Kid and Ame looked up to see the glowing constellation of a beautiful dragon.

"What are you guys looking at?" Liz asked. Ame's face split in a huge grin.

"A constellation!" she hurriedly drew in the fifth and final star in the constellation and she and Kid were engulfed in the bright light. It seemed they were in a different dimension now. There were clouds everywhere and it was so bright and beautiful.

"Where are we?" Kid asked.

"The Divine Realm, child of Death," a voice replied. Kid looked up to see the dragon they had revived. "I don't have much time; my weakened power came back only in your presence, Amaterasu. Benevolent goddess, as a sign of my gratitude I shall be one of the first to give you a power to use your Celestial Brush. Take this power and move forward with it, cure the world of darkness and decay. I, Yomigami, give you the power of Rejuvination."

Ame felt a warmth inside of her as the power was accepted in her. Then it was over; they were back on earth where they had left their bodies.

"Are you two okay?" Maka asked.

"Better than ever," Kid replied, looking at Ame.

"Mom is going to kill me," she thought.

Soul Eater

"I saw it all," Kid admitted later when he and the others, the wolves, Lord Death, Spirit, and Stein had all gathered outside the DWMA. "It's as the witch said. Arachne used the destruction of Death and the Madness of Life to create weapons. Ikiru gave my father the last of her power to create demon tools so that Arachne could be stopped. Now that there is no god of madness or life, they are trying to revive Arachne, so that she could finish what she started."

"I honestly owe you a lot, Amaterasu," Lord Death said. "If it weren't for you, my son would be dead. Several times, in fact. Thank you."

"Sure," Kid muttered. "Just ignore the fact that I found out your biggest secret."

"I think you owe her more than a little thanks," Spirit muttered with a grin. "Let her keep breaking the rules. She's a goddess, for crying out loud."

"I think this will work after all," Lord Death said. Ikiru nodded in agreement. "So, when's the wedding?"

"I suppose we shouldn't keep them waiting too long," Ikiru replied.

"No wedding!" Kid snapped.

"Oh, so I just survived for nothing?" Ame asked.

"Isn't she a little young to have marriage plans?" Stein asked, turning the screw in his head and staring intently at Ame's soul.

"I've seen pretty girls like that get hitched way earlier in life," Spirit disagreed.

Reaper CHOP!

"You don't have to hide your feelings from me," Ame said, giving Kid a puppy face.

"Stop that!" Kid sighed. "Listen, Ame, I know that you're really hell-bent on marrying me, but you know, you're a wolf. I'm a human. I know that we mature differently, so you may be ready, but I'm not."

"Oh, I see," Ame nodded her head eagerly. "How about on Tuesday, then?"

"My desire for your company is shrinking," he thought, face-palming. Ame laughed.

"Got it," she nodded a bit more seriously this time. "No marriage. But you'd better keep me happy. If it weren't for the food you gave me, I would have never stuck around."

"Deal."

She put her hand forward and Kid took it, prepared to shake on it. Instead, Ame used her grip on his hand to yank him forward and kiss him on the nose. Kid pulled away, blushing furiously, a thin trail of blood trickling down his upper lip.

"Ame!" he complained.

"Nice maneuver, Ame," Liz praised as Patti began laughing hysterically.

"Look at the bright side, Kid," Soul said, putting one arm around his friend. "At least she knows how to cook. And she's also pretty cute too—"

Maka CHOP!

"Why did you DO that?"

"If you make my sister cry, I'm going to crunch your face off," Rin warned. Kid shuddered openly this time. Rin was like Patti; cute, but violent.

"Mind your manners," Ikiru chided.

"Yes, Mama," he sighed, turning his head.

"But I have to agree with my cubs," Ikiru said. "If you don't love Ame, then there's no point in me keeping you alive, is there?"

"Why aren't you doing anything about this?" Kid asked Lord Death.

"It's just a little discussion between the few of you; it's not really my business."

"How is it a little discussion if they're threatening my life?!"

Ame sighed and looked up at the sky. She could live now with the people she loved. Kid would come around soon; she wouldn't rush him anymore. She'd give him some space for now. More importantly, she was alive. Forever.

** Aw… How sweet! The end isn't quite here, but I'm glad I was able to get this much up before Thanksgiving. I might not post an author's note in the next chapter… it's kind of long and sad…. Till next time I have time to publish an author's note!**


	14. Chapter 14

Kid was out in his backyard in the late afternoon. The sun was setting, casting a dusty glow over his garden. He bent down to finger some of the loose soil. He'd been trying to fill the garden for months, but he never could find the time. Maybe Ame could help him; she was an expert on plant life. He stood up and brushed his hands together, raising his head when a white flash caught his eye.

Ame was standing at the edge of the stone fence. Behind her, the mysterious forest was quiet. Kid smiled at her and waved. She didn't return the wave as he made his way over to the fence and jumped over the low stone structure.

"Lonely already?" he asked playfully. He looked at Ame uncertainly. "Ame, what's wrong? You seem… troubled."

"Look here," Ame said, pointing to the mountains on the other side of the forest. In the distance, past the forest, a bright white silhouette was ghosting along the far edge of the forest. It was disappearing over the edge of the hill, going to faraway lands.

"Is that Ikiru?" Kid asked quietly. Ame nodded. "Where is she going?"

"The forest isn't the place for us anymore," Ame replied. "She figured we could all disperse in any form we want to. It's too late for us to fight against the humans, but you've showed her that we can't just submit either. We're going to farther places. The world won't ever be as it was last weekend."

"Yes it will," Kid said. "The spirit of Life still exists. She is life itself; she's everywhere. The world may change a lot, but it's still our world. As long as we're alive, nothing else matters, right?"

"I can think of something."

"What's that?"

"If we're together," Ame replied quietly.

"A-Ame…" he began quietly. "You… you mean… I…. Why did you say your other form would frighten me?"

He kicked himself internally; why couldn't he just tell her how he felt?

"Because I knew it disgusts you, being an animal," Ame replied. "And it would have made what I'm about to do so much harder."

"What are you talking—?"

"I'm leaving," Ame interrupted her in a harsh whisper.

Kid's eyes widened. No, it can't be. Ame pulled away from him, taking a few steps away.

"No, wait!"

Ame stopped and peeked around her shoulder at him. She looked very wolf like with her course hair curling around her neck and her searching golden eyes narrowed slightly.

"Ame, don't go," Kid spoke firmly, as if it was an order. "I think it's safer if you stay here with us."

"Kid, I have no home now. Unless you'd be willing to keep me? Kid, you know nothing about me. I'm Madness! I'm an animal! Are you really ready for me?"

There was a moment of silence as small droplets of rain began to shower from the sky. The rain got heavier and heavier until finally, Ame spoke.

"Kid, I have something to ask of you."

"Anything."

"Tell me how much you love me."

Another pause. Ame was just about to turn around when Kid snatched her and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"I… I love you, Ame," he said. "I know I don't act like it, but I'd do anything for you. Even if you were human, I'd still love you. I think it's really cute when you play around with me and the others. If you stay here, I can… I'll find out what your favorite food is. You'd like that, right?"

"Of course," Ame's voice was trembling as she pulled away. She transformed into a white wolf. "But what about this? This is my true form, and I know you hate it."

"… That's not true."

"LIAR!"

There was silence.

"Listen, Ame, I can accept that you're a wolf. I don't care, really. But the plans you have in life don't feel right. A wolf and a human together… that's just not proper. But I promise you, you can stay here. I will not shun you as you were before."

"Just tell me. Kid. Do you accept my being a wolf or not?"

"…"

Tears were gushing down her face. She turned away from him and began running. Kid bolted after her into the dark forest.

"Ame, wait!" he shouted.

He tried following the white wolf through the fields and soon the forest, but he was too weak and slow. He soon lost sight of her and found himself just aimlessly wandering. He tripped several times, blinded by tears and rain. He got to his feet countless times, fighting to find Ame or the wolves. Nothing. This forest was like any other now. He paused and looked down. There was a small print in the dirt—a footprint. Her foot was so small in comparison to his.

He pushed on. He screamed for her repeatedly.

"Ame!" he cried. "Just please, come back! Please, Ame!"

He stumbled over a fallen tree and slipped. He slid roughly down a slick cliff of mud and water. He was tumbling for a while, occasionally hitting a rock or tree, before he found the ground. Except this time, he didn't get up. He couldn't. His body was sore from cold and exhaustion, his eyes burned from crying. He felt for sure that something was broken in his body from his fall; not that he cared, his powers could heal it in no time. The thing that hurt worse than all of those things combined was his heart. Why, Ame? Why did she leave him lying there?

"A… Ame," he whispered. "Why did you leave? Aren't you cold and sad? I… I still need to protect you…."

Soul Eater

Maka fingered through the pile of mail that no one had bothered to go through for a while. She paused on a small white envelope with a black paw print on it. She carefully picked it out of the pile and unfolded it. Black ink decorated the page in fancy script, and Maka took only a few moments to read it. The paper floated to the ground and Maka stared ahead in shock.

"Hey, Maka, did you get dinner ready yet?" Soul asked, walking into the kitchen. He paused when he saw her troubled expression. "Never mind, I'll get it…. Is something wrong?" he looked down at the paper at her feet and picked it up. His expression changed entirely as he read the cold words.

"Soul, she's gone," Maka whispered. "I didn't even… get to say… goodbye."

Soul wrapped his arms around her as she began crying. There was so much they still wanted to know about Ame; more that they wanted to do with her. Now she was gone forever?

Blackstar and Tsubaki discovered the letter Ame had left for them on their doorstep with a bouquet of wild flowers. Tsubaki couldn't stop crying, and even Blackstar was silent.

"So, you had to leave after all?" Lord Death asked, tilting his head slightly. Ame's reflection shone in his mirror, along with the image of her two brothers. Ame nodded her head sadly. "You know, you're always welcome back. You've become almost like a daughter to me by now."

"I must find my own path now," Ame resolved with a dreamy smile. "I might return for the holidays, but right now, I have to build an altar for the Inochigami from the dust where it crumbled. I have a long way to go."

"Ame-chan," Lord Death addressed her suddenly. She looked up with a hum. "I had an odd vision recently. Well, not really recently, but I feel as if I'd seen it a long, long time ago. It was of another world with other fates. Soul became a death scythe. Blackstar killed Mifune and we took the witch Angela in. There were also small tidbits and events like my son being trapped in the book of Eibon and his friends having to go through many trials to save him. But I think the oddest part about this vision was that Kid decided to get over his obsession with symmetry."

Ame gasped, her eyes widening.

"What do you think this means?" Lord Death pressed. He spoke as if he knew something he knew she wouldn't tell him. "What do you think it was?"

Ame lowered her head, keeping her gaze level. She spoke in an ominous voice.

"It was a dream."

Lord Death was surprised to see this. "Oh? Is that your answer then? It seems you've been breaking the rules for longer than we've been aware of."

Ame hesitated, but nodded once. The mirror grew dark and Lord Death stared at his own reflection for a moment.

"That eye is a gem, Amaterasu," he said out loud. "Use it well."

It felt like hours until someone found Kid lying there on his side. By then his physical pain had healed, so they didn't need to worry at all. He felt tense, warm hands press into his cold shoulders. He was being carried? After a while, the gentle sway of the person's movement came to a halt.

"Leave him there," Ame commanded. He assumed she was talking to her brothers. He felt someone set him down again on the cold wet ground. The footsteps began to fade and Kid found the strength to wake up. He opened his eyes and lifted himself up on his hands. He was on the stone pathway outside his house. The white wolf with crimson paint and her plain triplet brothers were walking away from him.

"Ame?" he asked. The wolf half-turned. "You're coming back, right?"

The wolf shook her head.

"But… I haven't done anything for you yet!"

The wolf turned all the way around, her mouth agape, her mismatched eyes filled with emotion. She was suddenly human again, her pure white hair whipping around her face in the sharp breeze.

"Even so," Kid whispered, his eye filling with tears. "I… I still have to protect you from the humans and the Kishin. I still have to find out what food you crave. Don't you want someone to understand you?"

"You never know how precious one thing is until it's gone away for good," Ame murmured, lowering her head. She turned and began walking. Kid sniffled and reached after her.

"Ame, wait!"

"BACK OFF!" Nagi darted forward, lashing out and snatching Kid's leg in his jaws. Kid let out a small scream as the bone was crushed and he was thrown a good few feet back.

"AME!" he sobbed, reaching after the wolves as they bounded through the forest.

"Kid, what are you doing out here?" Liz's voice sounded behind him as the two sisters ran out the garden gate.

Kid lowered his hand and let his head fall. Liz and Patti were both out there in the middle of the night looking for him in the rain. How kind. Liz knelt beside Kid, gripping his shoulders with trembling fingers and shaking him.

"What were you thinking coming outside in the rain like this?" Liz asked.

"Liz," he whispered. "She's gone."

Liz looked up at the distant woods to see small white shadows darting up the mountains. Liz felt tears begin to fall down her face. She held on to her crying meister whilst Patti held an umbrella over their heads. Kid stopped crying surprisingly soon, for he knew it wouldn't help anything. He pulled away slightly, rubbing at his eyes.

"Liz, take me home," he plead. "I-I just want to go home, okay?"

Liz stared at him for a split second before giving a relaxed nod. They all began walking home in the rain. Even if Ame stayed, it wouldn't change Kid's fate or Lord Death's. Things would be the same no matter what. Kid just had to accept that. Kid was about to drop any thought of Ame when a sound stopped him and made him turn around.

Ame's loud, feral, full howl filled the evening. She was calling back to him. She was making amends for his broken heart… for both of theirs. She didn't belong there; she had her own life to live. She was a goddess, after all. Kid felt overwhelmed by sudden joy in his decision; yes, it was for the best to let her go. He didn't need to protect her anymore. He brought up all his strength and let it all out as he shouted back to her.

"GO LIVE YOUR LIFE NOW!"

He saw her disappear behind the pink sakura tree for what could be forever. The tree was still there, and as long as it was, it glowed as a beacon of hope to the residents of Death City. As long as it was there, there was hope; Amaterasu was always with them.

Final; Hope is Always There!

**Kioku no oku tadoru**__

_Tracing the depths of my memories,_

**Yukiba naku kawareyuku kokoro tsunagitome**__

_I fasten together my crumbling heart, no place left to go_

**Mou ichido kono basho de**__

_Come here once again and _

**Te wo totte eien' no hate e tsuredashite**

_Take my hand, take me away to the ends of eternity_

**Kakedashi toki ga hashiridasu**

_Dashing forward, I find a way to know the_

**Mirai wo shiru sono sube wo nigirishime**

_Future. Time races ahead and _

**Ashita wo mitsuketa no**

_I see tomorrow, but_

**Demo fuan do shou ga nai kokoro wo kakusenai**

_I cannot hide my heart now fraught with anxiety._

**Kasureta koe ds tobashita omoi mo**

_My thoughts I release in a rasping voice_

**Todokanai mujou ni kieteku kokoro wo tsukamenai**

_Disappear into an unreachable void; I cannot grasp the heart._

**Hitomi ni utsushita kioku kaeshite**

_Return the memories I've captured in my eyes,_

**Kono saki no mirai ni kitto mata deaeru to shin'jite!**

_Believe one day in the future we'll meet again!_


	15. Chapter 15

** This is kind of an extra chapter. It's not very long and it doesn't have title sequences, but it's like the apple chapter and it has some relevant character development. And stuff… so yeah….**

Kid was sitting at his desk with his head down on the wooden surface. His arms curled around his head lazily. It hurt…. Why wasn't Ame there, bugging him relentlessly and bullying him? Why could he not pull her ears and curse her out anymore? He hadn't eaten in two days, and he never really slept either, he just stayed very still all the time. It was starting to scare his friends. Kid heard a soft knock on his door.

"Kid?" Liz asked quietly. He barely looked alive. "Your dad called. He wants to see you at the school."

Kid slowly raised his head. He didn't like moving. It only increased the already unbearable pain in his soul.

Kid didn't really know or care how he got to school. He was sitting at a small coffee table with his father, drinking tea. Well, Lord Death drank tea; Kid just gazed into the swirling liquid with a passive face.

"So, Kid, how are you?" Lord Death's tone was slightly quieter and more serious than usual. There was no answer. "Kid? You know, you can talk to me about this. I'm probably the only one who can understand, and I promise I'll listen to you."

Kid raised his head slightly. He and his father weren't very close, but what did he have to lose? "What is this pain I feel when I think about her? It's like something really important to me has been ripped away. We were just friends, but… now that she's gone… I can't…."

"That's the curse of the Inochigami," Lord Death explained sadly. "Many would call it a blessing. Once you've seen one, you would long for their presence always, and it gets painful when they leave. For Shinigami, it is the worst emotional pain they can endure. But you weren't around her that long, so I guess…."

He looked up to see fine trails of tears streaming down Kid's face. Kid bit his lip. He could only utter one phrase before he lost complete control.

"I miss her, Dad!"

He began crying. He put his hands up against his face, trying to stop the tears, but they just wouldn't. His body was shaking with sobs. He gave up trying to hold back any longer. He needed to express his pain to someone. He just… didn't want his friends or partners to deal with him like this and… he wasn't all that close with the teachers….

"Kid," Lord Death whispered, trying to fight back tears of his own. He reached out to his son feebly. "Come here."

Kid collapsed in his arms and kept crying. He felt… safer in his father's embrace. Better. It didn't hurt so much knowing and understanding why he felt this way. It felt a bit odd; Kid had never been particularly close to his father. Now he realized it was because of the Inochigami's secrets that Lord Death couldn't even tell him. Now that all that was revealed, there wasn't anything between them anymore. This felt… good. Kid and Lord Death both felt that this would be a landmark in their relationship; things would be better from now on.

Ame was lying face down in the grass. "I should just turn myself to stone."

"Oh please," Nagi muttered. Rin chuckled, gnawing on a stray rabbit bone. The three had stopped for lunch somewhere in Japan, but apparently, Ame didn't want to move again.

"I feel terrible," Ame continued. Nagi rolled his eyes. Being the goddess of life, Ame was immensely upset whenever she made someone unhappy. Her last memory with Kid was dragging her down. Overcome with guilt, she feared this was the end of her godhood.

"Oh, come on," Nagi snapped, tired of her whining. "It's just one guy. He'll get over it."

"I'm total garbage. That's it; I'm road kill. I don't deserve to live anymore. Just throw me off a cliff into the water; I promise I won't swim."

"You're totally insane!" Nagi yelled at her. "Why can't you just get over it and start living your life like he told you to?!"

Ame wasn't listening to him—not in the slightest—but a sudden noise made her ear twitch. She sat up immediately as three demons jumped into the clearing. She transformed with a growl, but that… didn't matter. Before she could leap into action, someone came up behind the demons and knocked them to the side. Ame sensed a powerful presence, but was surprised yet again when an old woman stepped into view.

"Not bad for a blind, old woman, is it?" she chirped, shaking her fingers at the demons. "You'll think twice before setting foot here again. Go on, now—begone!"

As the demons fled, Ame and her brothers stared at the woman in disbelief. Seeing no point in staying in her wolf form, Ame transformed and curiously approached the supposedly blind woman.

"Ame!" Nagi snapped quietly. "Get away from there!"

Ame always considered herself a good judge of character; she felt that this woman was no real threat to them. She was lowered to the ground, defensive in case the woman tried to attack anyway. The woman turned to her and smiled one of those warm, homey smiles that nice elderly people have.

"There, you don't have to be afraid," she murmured, holding out her hand to touch the goddess's head gently. "You're a little shorter than I expected. Why don't you come inside for a bit?"

Ame accepted. The woman took her to a small cottage beside the forest. The woman took her to the den and served her tea; that's when they started chatting.

"You're the goddess of life, aren't you?" she asked softly. Ame nodded.

"I am Amaterasu," she replied.

"Amaterasu, what a pretty name," the woman smiled again. "You can just call me Granny, dear. I've gotten so old that it's just easier that way."

Ame and the woman exchanged a laugh.

"What are you doing way out here?" Granny asked. "I heard you were in Death City. Why have you left so suddenly?"

"Death's son didn't like my wolf form," Ame mumbled. She really didn't want to talk about it. "He wasn't ready to accept me. I want to go back, but first… I think we need more time away from each other to think about things. I need to learn more of how to please him… maybe I could become a good wife."

"Huh, little jackass," Granny sniffed. Ame jumped at the profanity. "He should be ashamed of himself, the spoiled thing. If I ever see him, I promise to give him a good slap for causing you so much trouble. But I can help you with the cooking and cleaning, for starters. He won't know what hit him when you go back!"

"Yeah!" Ame exclaimed, that fire relit in her sporadic soul. "And I promise to eat lots and lots while I'm here so I can grow taller!"


	16. Chapter 16

**I do not own Soul Eater or any other media referred to in this fanfiction.**

It had been months since Ame's life had changed; two seasons had passed since she met and healed the child embodiment of death himself, Death the Kid. Ame left Kid and her other friends in Death City, Nevada, to go to Japan. Ame and her brothers, Nagi and Rin, dwelt there ever since, helping people as only gods could do. Ame took up a search for divine deities that would guide her in her brush techniques. She currently resided with an old woman she affectionately called Granny.

If she truly did belong here, then why did it feel so wrong? Ame stared at the brightening horizon as the sun began to rise over the vast fields of harvest crops. Now, it felt as though the phantom of her alter ego was haunting her every move.

"Kid," she sighed wistfully as the breeze teased her white hair.

Death the Kid stared out at the city. He was on the roof of the academy, leaning against the rail pensively. He'd been having similar thoughts about Ame, but without any type of work aside from school-related studies and missions, he spent his free time in a daze. He imagined her… her beauty, her purity. Her eyes were mismatched, but that was okay; she meant more to him the symmetry.

His friends gathered in a circle a few feet away from him. They'd usually let him have lunch time alone to sulk, but today, they wanted to do something about it.

"He's been doing that for weeks," Liz said. "I know their meeting each other really struck a chord in their souls and stuff, but this is getting out of hand."

"Poor Kid," Maka spoke up.

"He must really miss her," Soul frowned.

"We all do," Tsubaki agreed.

"When is she coming back, anyway?" Blackstar's voice was quieter than usual, but still impatient.

"I don't think she will, Blackstar," Tsubaki said, trying to be quiet enough that Kid couldn't hear her.

"Why not?" Blackstar pressed. "She said she'd visit us."

"It doesn't work like that, Blackstar," Maka explained.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She regrets everything. She thinks she doesn't deserve to be here," Maka glanced back at Kid. She knew he felt guilty. He was the one who drove her out in the first place.

Kid sighed heavily. He should join the others for lunch. He didn't want to eat, but he could sit with them for a while. Being around his friends quenched the loneliness, to some extent. Kid didn't hear them talking to him as he straightened and trudged towards their new usual spot on the roof, until….

"Hey Kid, I think something is running at you."

He raised his head just before he crashed to the ground.

"HI, HONEY!" Ame yelled at the top of her lungs, tackling Kid in a wild hug and knocking them both to the ground.

Ame Returns! Will It Be Forever This Time?

Kid stared up at the wolf girl in disbelief. She was even better than he remembered; her mismatching eyes, her silky wolf ears and tail. The black tip of her tail was darker than ever, vibrant with fresh black blood. Kid felt like the happiest person on earth now that she had returned. He noticed she hadn't gotten over tackling people. He would have smiled at her after the shock subsided, but then he noticed her… precarious position over his body.

"Come on!" she whined, wagging her tail in the air. "Rub me behind the ears and tell me how much you missed me!"

"Get off me!" Kid demanded, thoroughly embarrassed. He pushed her away and got to his feet. While he was brushing the dust off of his jacket, the others decided to get their greetings in. Ame raised her head and wagged her tail happily as they ran to meet her.

"I missed having Kid freak out over everything you do," Liz said. "Now he just kind of sits around moping."

"And I lay in my bed, prostrate with grief," Ame replied.

"What's up lately?" Soul asked. "We haven't seen you in months. If this is your interpretation of visiting often, then it's not cool."

"Well, _excuse me_," Ame scoffed. "I left on Sunday with the intention of coming here, but I. Got. Lost."

"We missed you," Tsubaki added.

"I didn't think you were going to come back," Maka said.

"Hey Ame," Kid interrupted. Ame looked at him as he made his way towards her. He paused in front of her and gave her a small smile. "I thought about what you said… and the answer is yes."

"You're getting married?" Patti snickered hopefully. Ame and Kid deadpanned.

"No!" Kid yelled. "Of course not!"

"Hey Ame," Maka interrupted. "There's a small carnival going on soon. Do you think you can stay long enough to go with us?"

"Of course," Ame nodded. "I'm staying forever this time, since I live with Kid and all."

"Hey, wait a minute," Kid interrupted. "Since when do you—"

"POINTING ABILITY!" Ame shouted, leaning towards him and pointing a finger at his chest.

"What the heck was that?" Kid asked with a very annoyed blink. She put her chin against his chest and looked up at him. She looked like a puppy.

"You remember what I said earlier about sweets making me feel sick but I love them anyway? Is it like that with us?"

"You've gotten worse," Kid muttered, covering his nose to prevent blood flow and pushing her away. "Fine. I see what you want. Do you want to have lunch with us?"

"He's good," Maka said.

"Yay! Thank you, sugar drop!" Ame squealed, wrapping her arms around Kid's chest in a dangerously tight hug.

"Don't call me that!" Kid snapped, struggling to get out of her death grip. "I can't breathe either!"

Ame released him and sat in the small circle with her other friends. "So what's for lunch?"

Soul Eater

"Nom!" Ame sighed as she took a large bit out of the food she'd prepared for her journey here.

"So, Ame," Kid started making conversation. "What were you doing while you were gone?"

"As I told you before," Ame said. "I was searching for the gods trapped in those broken constellations. I found Hanagami, the monkey god who gave me the power of Bloom. By drawing a circle, I can help things grow, open things up, and show true forms."

"Fascinating," Maka said, absorbing all the information.

"And you'll love this, Kid," Ame turned to her best friend yet. "I've officially opened the doors to the Divine Realm after finding the third god. Now I want to make sure, do you know what the Realm is?!"

"Thankfully, my father told me that much after you left," Kid replied.

"What is the Divine Realm?" Tsubaki asked in interest.

"It's my world," Ame explained. "Just like Shinigami have the Grim World, we Inochigami have a Divine Realm. I've never seen the Grim World, although I am allowed to, but I imagine it must be very dark."

"That's the most sensible thing I've heard you say," Kid said, knocking her upside the head and giving her a 'no-duh' face. "It's very dark. Only the souls can be seen there. It may sound scary, but it's not that bad. I mean, it's the land of Death; it's not _that_ bad."

"Well, the Divine Realm is very bright," Ame explained. "But not too bright, you know? There are clouds everywhere, too. It's really… pretty. Anyway, the gods of the Zodiac are weakening because their shrines were destroyed during the war between Death and the Spider Queen. People have stopped believing in them and offering, hence they're power is digressing."

"So you've been rebuilding the shrines and reestablishing their places?" Kid asked. Ame nodded absentmindedly, but she seemed to be staring at Kid's lunch.

"I'd like a bit of that!" she said, reaching over without asking and helping herself to a forkful of his food. Kid was thoroughly disgusted by her manners. He pushed her away.

"Hey! You have your own lunch, Miss Piggy!"

"Call me that again and I will stab you with my new sword Seven Strike!"

"How could you stab me with a sword called Seven Strike?! The asymmetry!"

"They have a long way to go," Tsubaki sighed. "As all lovers do."

"Ah, it'll be alright," Liz smirked. "Kid won't let her go this time. Besides, isn't Ame a little young for him? Even if they are the same age, she's kind of childish."

"Maybe after she gains some more of her power back," Maka suggested. "And she's mature when she wants to be. I think she's just enjoying being silly while she can. She knows Kid wants to protect her is all."

"You're not that bad with people, Maka," Soul noted. "I'd never noticed before. I don't know if it's because you read books or if that's why you weren't able to tell us that way earlier in the story—!"

"CHOP! Shut up, Soul."

"Fine," Ame resolved. "I didn't like your lunch anyway. It's so unhealthy; from now on, I should make your meals."

"Don't baby me," Kid muttered through gritted teeth.

"What's your problem with Kid's lunch?" Blackstar blinked. "It seems fine to me."

"It's too bland," Ame replied, turning her back on Kid (shun~).

"I will start packing spicy things in my food, so help me," Kid hissed possessively. Ame tried not to react, but her displeased face made Blackstar grin mischeviously.

"If you want flavor, you can try mine," Blackstar held his. "It's rice curry. You know, it's one of those exotic dishes. Tsubaki made it, and her cooking is to die for. Go on, try it."

Kid's eyes snapped to Ame as she put a small bite of the curry into her mouth.

"Oh no, wait!" he warned.

Too late. Ame stared ahead with a blank stare for a moment, taking in the spicy flavor. She couldn't take it after eight seconds. Tears welled up in her eyes and she threw her head back.

"BWAAAAUHHHH!" she screamed.

"Blackstar!" Kid scolded the laughing ninja. Patti was laughing too, but that was expected. Tsubaki silenced her meister with a stiff punch to the head.

So, as the day ended, Ame resolved that she would never cause her friends so much pain again. No matter what even Blackstar did to her, she would remain loyal to them.


	17. Chapter 17

Kid awoke the next morning in a daze. Getting out of bed in the morning had been a daily chore since Ame left; he was too depressed to consider it otherwise. He had little memory of yesterday, but he vaguely remembered something about Ame coming to visit. Did she leave again? Kid was about to dismiss the thought, but when he rolled over in bed, he came nose-to-nose with the cutest girl he'd ever seen.

_ (*Thoughts before he freaked out*: Aw, she's so cute when she sleeps.)_

Then he shot up like a bullet.

"Ame, what the hell are you doing in my room?!"

"It was late when we got home," Ame murmured, snuggling closer to him. She wasn't actually _in bed_ with him, but merely laying over the covers beside him. Her breath was warm and her indulgent wolfish scent filled Kid's senses. Kid squirmed off the bed.

"That doesn't make it okay to sleep with me!" he yelled. "You could have slept with Liz or Patti, at least."

Ame seemed to just realize he was yelling at her and raised her head tiredly. She lifted herself on her hands and knees and let out a loud yawn. Kid tried to not look directly at her; she was kind of frumpy from sleeping.

"If it weren't for me, you would have frozen," Ame said, flicking her tail. Kid sighed, but before he could say anything, Ame continued. "You kept kicking the blankets off."

"I did?" Kid blinked. He looked at the floor, where his black comforter was pooling on the carpet.

"You seemed awfully upset," Ame continued with a sly grin. Kid frowned, feeling heat rush to his face.

"Get out."

Welcome Home; A Perfect Life for a Young Inochigami?

"I never knew you were such a good cook," Ame admitted quietly. She was sitting at the table, her hands folded between her knees and her feet kicking back and forth over the floor she couldn't reach. She picked at the biscuits and ham served to her with a pleased grin.

"Thank you," Kid nodded, putting some honey on his food. "I didn't think you would bring all that fresh food from Japan."

"No problem," Ame grinned, stuffing her mouth full with eggs. "If I am to live here with you, I want to make sure you're taken care of."

"I suppose I should take better care of you, too," Kid mumbled, glancing at her bare feet.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Ame swallowed.

"So you're over your fear of humans?" Kid inquired. "Because if you're going to live here with us, there are some rules you have to follow."

"Rules? Like what?"

"And you have to wear shoes," Kid added. "I know your feet can handle the tough terrain of the forest, but there's a lot of broken glass and stuff in the city; I don't want you to get hurt."

"Oh," Ame looked down at her plate, blushing slightly. "Yes, I suppose."

"I'll take you shopping for some new clothes as well," Kid continued. "I want you to dress better if I am to be seen in public with you."

She was wearing some clothes that looked like they were made by an old lady.

"I think it might be time for a haircut," Ame stated, fingering her wispy white locks.

'I don't know if she was paying attention or not, but I'll go with it,' Kid thought. Her hair was kind of choppy.

"Some reshaping would be nice," Kid said. "I think it would look good if you grew it long, though."

"But I don't want it to be long," Ame insisted.

'Unusual for a goddess,' Kid thought. 'I thought she'd want the long flowing hair like in the fairy tales. Not to offend her intellect, but she _is_ that flighty sometimes.'

"If you really want it, I can take you by the salon later this afternoon at best," Kid said.

"You don't have to do that," Ame shook her head. "I can cut it myself. Besides, you should stay home and clean the house. You've let it go to total ruin while I was gone."

"Well forgive me for missing you!"

"I'll consider it," Ame mumbled thoughtfully, licking her plate. Kid tried not to snap at her.

"Ame," he chided, eyeing her poor table manners. "Mind your manners, please. Honestly."

"What are you bickering about now?" Ame asked.

"I have a lot to teach you," Kid sighed, glancing at the clock. "And I only have half an hour before we have to go to school. Come with me."

He pulled her out of the dining room and through all the hallways quickly, telling her all the rules of the house he could.

"Make sure the books in the study are all exactly as you left… them…." Kid looked at the horrid condition of the library. Books were scattered everywhere. He tore his eyes away from the sight and continued down the hallway. Ame was right; the house was in an odd condition. "These three rooms," he continued, pointing at the three occupied bedrooms. "Are off limits."

Ame gave him an innocent pouty face, as if to say, 'I don't understand. Why not?'

"Don't look at me like that," Kid said quietly. "You can choose any of the other rooms you want and decorate it as you please. Right now, Liz, Patti, and I have to go to school. Please, please, _please_ do not mess with anything. We'll be home soon, okay?"

"Please card times three," Ame muttered. "I shall do whatever you say, master."

HOLY FREAKING NOSEBLEED!

With that, Ame was left alone in the large mansion. It had been a while since she'd been all alone. She glanced around the messy kitchen and living room with a disapproving frown that perhaps a parent would wear whilst looking at a child's dirty room. She went to the laundry room and reached for the cleaning supplies. Did he even do his new year's cleaning while she was gone?

She spent the entire day scrubbing, organizing, dusting, sweeping, and scrubbing again. She re-shelved all the stray books in the library—alphabetically, just like Kid told her to—and scrubbed the floors, vacuumed the carpets and repositioned the picture frames, cleaned the windows and brushed the spider webs out of the corners, washed the dishes and reorganized the kitchen—labeling things as she went along so she wouldn't forget where things were—and put some fresh venison pot roast on the stove for dinner.

Soul Eater

After she was done with her cleaning frenzy, she inspected some of the free rooms. The first one she looked at was open, with a small bed, a shelf, and a small window overlooking the closest street corner.

"I've always wanted a shelf," Ame admitted out loud. "But I think the window scene is kind of depressing, you know?" she turned around, frowning when she remembered she was alone. "Oh. There's no one there."

"I'm here, sugar!" a voice called*.

"Ah, Yoshii," Ame muttered. "The Jiminy Cricket of ancient Japan, good to hear you."

She ignored him and continued across the hallway to the other room. She opened the door and peered inside cautiously. There was a full sized bed in the corner with a shelf built into the headboard with two lamps on either side. Ame looked at the walls; they were a light bluish-white. Ame smiled and moved onto the window. She paused, tears filling the brims of her eyes. There was a window seat in front of a grand window overlooking the garden and… the forest. Ame couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, Ame!" Yoshii yelled. "Quit spacing out; I think the food's burning!"

That was the last Ame heard of Yoshii for the day because as soon as she got the pot roast off the stove, she heard the front door opening.

"Ame?"

"We're home!" Patti yelled.

"Welcome home!" Ame shouted back, sprinting to meet them in the foyer. "How was your day?"

"Long," Liz complained, walking into the kitchen for a glass of water. She paused in her tracks. "Ame? Did you clean the kitchen?"

"Yes," Ame replied. "I cleaned a lot today, so you wouldn't have to."

"Well, that was polite of you," Kid remarked, turning to walk down the hall. The day was long and he wanted to relax. "Since the house is in order…."

"NO, YOU DON'T!" Ame stuttered, jumping on him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Kid opened his eyes to see her sitting on top of him again.

"Pay attention to me now!" she whined childishly. Kid frowned.

"Behave, you," he ordered, pushing her off of him.

"Well, if you're interested, I made dinner too," Ame said, pulling him to his feet and dragging him into the kitchen. "See, Kid? Aren't you proud of me? I made dinner all by myself and I didn't get hurt. I can keep the house in order while you're gone, too. See, I belong here. This can be my home."

Kid looked at her for a moment as she continued speaking. He was reminded of her odd animal behavior. She spoke her mind and tried to please others; she was loyal, like a dog, but for what? He didn't give her any form of training or reward yet. She was something else. He smiled at her and reached toward her, drawing her close in a tight hug. Ame stopped talking immediately.

"Yeah," was all he said. "I see. Welcome home, Ame."

"You two should go on a date tonight!" Patti suggested loudly from where she was watching behind the doorframe. Kid and Ame jerked away from each other in surprise.

"What she means is," Liz interjected. "We'd be happy to take dinner in our rooms if you two want to eat alone."

"That will not be necessary," Kid snapped. "There are no special feelings between Ame and myself, right Ame?"

"Y-y-y-y" Ame stuttered, her eyes round and spacy with rage. She charged at Liz, pushing her across the hallway. Liz gasped in shock as she crashed into the wall, leaving several cracks. "YEAH!"

"I think you over did it a bit, Ame," Patti laughed.

"Yeah, I got the picture," Liz rasped, trembling in pain.

"Just come eat, girls," Kid said, dishing out food for everyone.

Liz's instant replay and analysis

CRASH! "YEAH!"

Liz sat down at the dinner table with the rest of them. Usually, Kid would sit at the head of the table with the girls on opposite sides of him, but to maintain symmetry, the four of them were seated together, two on each side of the table, in the middle. Liz stared across the table at Kid and sighed.

"Maybe he is serious," she thought. "Maybe he won't have any feelings for Ame. I mean, they are life and death; maybe their relationship is to just fight alongside each other in battle. That's pretty much it right now. And judging by what just happened, it could be possible that nothing interesting will ever develop between them."

She thought about Kid's firm reaction to her suggestion of Ame and Kid dining alone.

"His statement was firm, but confident and unwavering, much unlike his previous reactions to our constant shipping. Then he asked Ame to make sure she felt the same way. Of course, Ame only jokes about their marriage; she isn't serious, right? And by her reaction, she either hated my statement or hated Kid for assuming stuff. Either way, afterwards, Kid called us 'girls' specifically to clump us together in a group. He didn't say an insincere 'you guys' or a formal, discerning 'humans and wolf' type phrase. He was expressing his equal feelings amongst the three of us as a beacon for the dawn of a new age! I could become a poet with this stuff!"

She looked up at Kid again, who was trying to control the two mannerless dinner table residents, and smiled. It made her a little sad that the whole life and death thing wasn't going to be more than intense friendship, but they were still young and could experience more than just that. She resolved that she would lay off pressuring Kid for a while. Maybe one day he might just realize it on his own.

***So Ame has a voice in her head and she calls it Yoshii… okay, I'll take it.**

** Yay! Second chapter of the second arc! Let me warn you… really. Fluffy.**


	18. Chapter 18

"It just occurred to me," Kid said absentmindedly whilst reading the Sunday paper. Ame looked up attentively from where she was eating across the table. "I said you could decorate your room as you liked and such, but you don't have any stuff, do you?"

Ame slammed her palms down on the table, her mouth agape in the sad shock that he was right.

Useless Findings; Shopping for a Picky Wolf?

"Winter's about over, but there's always a sharp draft near the end, so you probably need a coat, let's see… shoes, of course," Kid listed off the things they needed to buy today. Liz and Patti trailed behind, keeping Ame in check. Liz was giving Ame helpful tips about living with Kid, the world, the universe, and everything.

"Don't run into the street," Liz ordered. "Watch for cars. Don't help just anybody out here; some people can be dangerous. Don't do anything dangerous or dirty if you don't have to. Also, Kid doesn't like it when you track mud in the house. Just do as he says and he won't get mad, but even when he's angry, he's still polite and wouldn't do anything to hurt us. Honestly, I was surprised when he kicked you. Got it so far?"

"I think so," Ame nodded.

"Good," Liz smiled. "He's going to lecture you the first chance he gets, so be prepared. He tends to go on and on, but Patti and I'll be there to get you out of it if he goes on too long."

"Thanks," Ame smiled back at them. She paused and took a dive at a small object to the side of the sidewalk. "Shiny!"

"Did you fall down again?" Kid asked. Ame sat up and held a small object out to him. A paperclip.

"Could you stop accumulating crap?!" Kid asked. "We're trying to buy useful things today. Geez!"

"Hey, Kid!"

Ame looked up to see Soul and Maka making their way towards them. Maka had a coat thrown over her arm, even though it was at least eighty degrees outside. Honestly, it was late January, but still.

"Oh, hello, Maka, Soul," Kid greeted. "What's up?"

"Just out and about today," Maka replied. "What about you four? It's nice to see you all together."

"Just doing some shopping for Ame," Kid explained.

"I'm sure we could help you out some," Maka volunteered. "You know, I can pick out the stuff and Soul can carry the bags."

"Why do I have to carry the bags?" Soul complained. "You women, I can never understand why we're your servants. Besides, it's not like you have the best style anyway."

"Maka CHOP!"

"That would be good," Kid nodded, regarding Maka's offer. "I'm sure Ame would love some time with her other friends, mainly Soul."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?!" Ame demanded, ramming her elbow into Kid's side. Kid collapsed to his hands and knees, gripping his side and pain.

"Nothing," he choked out.

So, the six of them continued downtown to the shops. Ame danced in the crowd; this small group of friends was her pack. However, if she really was going to live here, she should make more friends. It was her natural wolf instinct to have a big family. They turned another corner into a clothing store. Ame liked the scent of fresh fabric and carpet cleaner. Liz stepped in front of Kid, blocking his path.

"Oh, no you don't," she interrupted him. "Sorry, Kid, but this is not your forte. Maka, Patti, and I will take care of this."

"Make sure you get everything she needs," Kid reminded them, hesitantly handing over the list. "And she's not your doll! Control yourselves a bit, will you? Of course," Kid sighed as he watched Ame skip away excitedly.

"Kid," Soul said, draping one arm around his friend. "Lighten up. Stop keeping her to yourself all the time."

"I do not," Kid defended himself.

"Okay, then what was that comment about her wanting to see me, then?"

"Oh, that?" Kid began laughing nervously. "That was nothing. I was kidding, really."

"Okay, try this one," Liz said, throwing some jeans in Ame's arms. "And these would look good with this top…."

"And this one too!" Patti shouted, showering Ame in five different outfits.

The four girls tackled Ame into the dressing room and threw the first few sets of clothes over the door before going to join the boys in the waiting area in front of the mirrors. After a few minutes, Ame came out wearing skinny jeans and a t-shirt.

"That looks good on you, Ame," Liz praised one of the outfits she had picked out.

"Not bad," Maka agreed.

"What do you think?" Kid asked.

"I can't breathe," Ame whispered quietly. "Or move."

A small round of laughter passed over the group. Ame turned her back, tugging the shirt down extremely far over her backside as if to hide something. The next outfit she picked consisted of cotton flare pants and a tunic top.

"That looks better," Tsubaki complimented.

"How do you like it?"

"I'm glad this shirt is so long," Ame commented, to the others' surprise. She turned around, fiddling with her clothes. "These pants get in the way of my tail."

"Oh," Kid mumbled, blushing and looking away, and Patti began laughing.

Ame tried on a new outfit. This time, she was wearing a small black dress with an apron on the front. Actually, it wasn't just a dress; it was a maid's uniform! Kid and Soul got serious nosebleeds. Patti began to laugh hysterically, rolling on the floor with her laughter. The others tried containing their smirks and snickers.

"Go back in there and change immediately!" Kid commanded, pushing Ame back into the dressing room.

Ame came out wearing a red-trimmed white t-shirt and a red miniskirt. Her tail flicked about effortlessly; the skirt was short enough that she could just tuck her tail underneath it.

"I like this," she said. "My legs stay free, and it's kind of ventilated like a shrine maiden outfit so it probably won't tear when I transform. I like it."

"Finally."

"Now, onto shoes!" Liz exclaimed.

Soul Eater

"Well, then, try these shoes," Maka offered Ame a pair of simple tennis shoes. Ame turned her nose up.

"Ame, you're being too picky," Liz complained. 'Maybe it's a god thing. It'll be hell with two around if this keeps up.'

"What are you looking for exactly?" Maka tried to help the situation.

"Hm…" Ame grumbled, leaning her cheek on her fist. Her elbow was propped up on the arm of the chair she was sitting in. "I don't know what it is I want. I only know what I don't want. For instance, those are too hard to put on. Those are too easy to get off; they'd fall off. Those would tear if I transformed."

"This is getting ridiculous," Soul said, stepping forward and grabbing Maka's feet. Maka collapsed in a chair while he proceeded to steal her shoes and hand them to Ame. "Here. Try these."

Ame put the black and white boots on. She smiled in approval; they were already worn at the bottom, so they weren't very hard to move around in. They also smelled like Maka.

"I like these."

Kid facepalmed. Had she no manners? Maka giggled.

"I guess I was going to buy new ones soon anyway."

The six of them left the store with a few bags in hand. Ame looked up at the sky as grey clouds accumulated over the laughing sun. Kid glanced skyward as well as soft white flecks began floating to the ground.

"How lovely," he smiled. "It's snowing."

Ame tugged Kid's sleeve and sneezed very, VERY quietly. She was so cute when she sneezed. Actually, with how brutish she was, Kid kind of expected her sneezes to be louder. He shrugged and began digging through the bags for her coat. He held it out to her as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"I told you you'd need it," Kid said, rather smugly. Ame slipped into her fur-lined coat in a split second, not even taking it out of Kid's hands, before running after the others. Kid stared after her before sighing and walking on.

"NYAOI!" Ame pounced on another object; Kid tripped over her body as she went down.

"Be more careful," Kid scolded, getting to his feet. Ame stood up and presented him her latest catch. He brightened up slightly. "Oh, you found a penny."

"Is it valuable?" Ame asked.

"Yes," Kid said, turning a corner. "But not much. If you find a lot, you can buy something for yourself."

"Um, something like…" Ame tugged on his sleeve and pointed through the nearest shop window at some warm pies. "Those?"

"Were you even listening to me?!" Kid demanded angrily.

After the food, Kid continued to lecture her.

"These things cost money, you know. I hope you won't be upset when I bill you."

"I can pay you back in time," Ame replied slyly.

"I hope you enjoy your clothes while you have them," Kid muttered on their way out.

"You meanie!" Ame snapped. "How am I going to get the money for that kind of thing?"

"You're good at cleaning," Kid said. "I bet you could get a job as a waitress somewhere. But you're so short; I doubt they'd take you."

"Why are you being so mean to me?" Ame whispered, squirming slightly. Kid laughed at her and decided to drop the act.

"I was only kidding. I'm sure your work around the house is payment enough," he said. Ame wagged her tail and held onto his arm.

"Does that mean we can go out for dinner tonight?"

"Uh…" Kid sweat-dropped, pulling away slightly. Looks like she was hungry again despite having eaten not five minutes ago. "Maybe next time, okay?"

"Okay!"

Liz smiled at the two as they made their way down the dark street.

"It's nice to have her around like this," she said. "I've never seen Kid smile so much."

"You're not a bit jealous, are you?" Maka asked. "I understand how you might feel; I get that way whenever Soul gets some admiration letter from anyone at school even though I know he won't leave me."

"On, no, not at all," Liz said, waving her hand in front of her face defensively. "It's not like that between Kid and me. Besides it's not really like that between them either. We just want it to be."

"They are kind of cute together, aren't they?" Maka asked.

"So cute!" Patti agreed.


	19. Chapter 19

The next week, Kid had some homework that Maka had agreed to help him with. Liz and Patti went out on their own, but Ame was left with nothing to do. Since she didn't want to stay home, Kid didn't have any other choice than to bring her along.

"Maka and I are studying," Kid told her. "Why don't you go downstairs and play with Soul for a bit, okay?"

Ame pouted slightly, but she was happy that she still had someone to play with. When she got downstairs, Soul was playing videogames.

"Soul, watcha doing?" Ame asked, holding Blair close to her chest. She peered over his shoulder at the TV.

"Playing Oblivion," he replied monotonously. He paused the game and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Wanna try?"

"Is it fun?"

"Better than studying."

Ame the Amazing Stylus-Loser! You Got A Job Where?!

Ame pressed the start button and stared at the TV. She started moving around as Soul had instructed her.

"This isn't so bad," Ame chirped. "So what's the plan?"

"You're in a dungeon," Soul said. "You're trying to get out. There will be some bad guys like rats and goblins, but it shouldn't be too hard for you."

Ame continued skipping through the dungeon until the music changed and a goblin began charging at her.

"Skipping, skipping—oh lord," Ame paused.

"Draw your weapon," Soul instructed.

"Right trigger?"

"Yeah."

The screen was alight with flames.

"You idiot, that's the left trigger!"

"At least I flamed the guy," Ame said.

"You missed the goblin and got the rum!"

"I burned the rum?"

"You burned the rum!"

"Why's the rum gone?"

"Move out of the way!" Soul sweat-dropped. "That's the left joystick. Didn't we just establish this?"

They both began laughing as the game over screen came on.

"Shut up, you two," Maka shouted down the stairs. "We're studying."

"You suck," Soul said. "Let's try something easier. Ever heard of the Nintendo DS?"

After Ame was done being fascinated by how the stylus clicked in and out of the machine, Soul set her up with a standard Mario game and went into the kitchen to get some snacks. When he returned forty seconds later with a bag of chips, Ame was searching the couch cushions furiously.

"Um… what's your problem?"

"Soul, I lost the stylus," she gasped.

"Don't sweat it," Soul said, handing her another one from the case. "Use it wisely."

He turned off the game console and grabbed the remote, flipping through a few channels idly as he sat down next to Ame, who was panicking again. He looked at her and she gave him a sheepish smile.

"I uh…."

"What?"

"I lost the other one, too."

"Are you serious?!"

Ame felt bad for losing Soul's styluses—styli?—and wanted to pay him back again. After a bit of thinking, she decided she'd get a job that pays money so she could buy more for him. That would surely work.

"I got a job today," Ame announced over dinner the next day.

"What?"

"That's great!"

"Ame," Kid said. "You know I was kidding about having you pay me back. You don't have to do this."

"Don't worry; I want the money for other reasons," Ame replied. "I'll be working from nine to four, and it's only a week, so I'm sure I can keep the house in good shape, too."

"Isn't that a bit extreme for your attention span?" Kid asked regarding the full time hours.

"Anything else you'd like to say?" Ame asked sweetly.

"Knowing you, you might quit for silly reasons like you're tired or you're hungry. You screw a lot of things up, too, and oh yeah! You are freakishly short; how did you get a job?"

"Go ahead and laugh, I still had a growth spurt while I was gone," Ame stated. She was right; she grew a few inches in her leave. But she was still tiny. "But I'd skip out on lunch tomorrow, if I were you."

Soul Eater

"Do you think she was serious?" Liz asked Kid the next day, eyeing their bento box lunches Ame had packed for them.

"I don't know," Kid whispered. He was terribly hungry and wanted to maintain proper meal times. "I'm technically immune to poison, but still…."

"I got an idea!" Patti cheered. "How about we go out for lunch at that cute new café?"

Ame straightened the fake cat ears on her head and the fake tail she'd tied to her real one. She grabbed the plates off the counter and took them to their designated tables; being a waitress wasn't all that hard. And the customers seemed to like her.

"Can I get some more coke please?" someone called across the room. Ame was standing in front of him the next minute, holding a glass of the requested beverage. The man smiled; the service here was fast for only having a few waitresses. And this one was especially cute.

"Enjoy it," Ame smiled. Her ears perked as she heard the bell ring and another group sit down. It sounded like three people. Ame skipped to the new table and put her hands up in front of her chest like a cat. "Welcome home, Master!"

She opened her eyes and froze.

"And that was one of those moments…" Ame narrated mentally. " I said something like 'Welcome home Master!'and when I looked up….

I saw it was my boyfriend."

"Eeeehhhh," Ame's mouth twitched as she looked at the café's newest guests. One was a rather tall blond girl and the other was her shorter blond twin sister… the other was a boy about Ame's age. He had black hair and three white stripes on one side with piercing golden eyes.

"Oh," Kid said, his face still blank with shock. "Now I get it."

Ame blushed even deeper. She felt so unsure of herself as a waitress until she remembered something from a long time ago. Liz and Patti had been on probation and working at a café. One day when Kid came in, Liz got angry since he was keeping tabs on him and said something Ame never really forgot. Ame put on a proud grin, puffed out her chest, spread her feet apart, and put her hands on her hips.

"Order something or get out," she snorted.

Kid blinked in confusion, glancing at Liz once. He remembered as well. He hadn't known Ame back then, and he didn't remember ever mentioning it. Anyway, what was odd was that Ame was trying to imitate Liz, but she was too tiny and cute to take seriously. After taking their orders, Ame left and Kid and the other two were left alone again.

"She saw that?" Liz asked, giggling slightly. It was clear she wasn't the slightest bit ashamed.

"At least she didn't throw a cup at me," Kid muttered, snickering as well. He raised his head when he heard Ame laughing with someone at the next table.

"Sorry, I'm taken," she said, pointing to Kid, who put his head down on the table in humiliation.

"Kill me."

The boy looked at Kid with tears running from his eyes. "You're a lucky guy. Of course it's always Lord Death's son who gets the best."

"Does he even know who she is?" Kid thought.

Ame continued working long after Kid left. She recognized some of the otaku customers and would make a lot of jokes with them. She was friendly with everybody and happy to be there. The master of the café was impressed; he honestly thought she couldn't promote bad service to anybody until a certain person walked in.

"Is he extremely important?" Ame asked the master.

"He's awful loud," the master replied. "I've never seen him in the otaku market before."

"I don't like him," Ame said quietly, putting her ears back. Master put a hand between her fake ears and she looked up at him.

"Don't worry too much about it," he told her. He wasn't particularly friendly if any harm came to his employees. Ame nodded and went to the newcomer's table.

"Konichiwa," Ame said in the friendliest way possible. She didn't want to seem stiff, but doing the whole 'welcome home' was too weird with this guy.

"Yeah, I'd like some yakisoba please," the man replied. Ame tensed. He sounded like… someone familiar….

"We don't have any," Ame said quietly.

"Let's try that again," he said, getting to his feet. He towered over Ame. "I want yakisoba. Is there a problem with that?"

Ame twitched. HIS VOICE!

"The service here is terrible. The master should really show his employees some discipline."

**"Can you shut those kids up? Show them some discipline; we're trying to sleep!"**

The master was behind the counter, watching the scene go down. She didn't deserve to be treated like that. He was about to give the customer the death glare when cute and innocent Ame did something no one expected. She flattened her ears back against her skull and snapped her head forward, head-bashing the man into total knock-out.

The other customers stared at the childish waitress in unbelievable horror. Ame was grinning, snuffing smugly.

"Good work, Ame," the master said quietly.

Anyway, the week was over before Ame knew it. Kid had gone back to the café a couple times to see how she was holding up in the human world; the otaku café became more popular than expected because of Ame's talent. Once Ame got her pay, she bought the styluses she promised Soul and met him after school the next day.

"What's up?" Soul asked, seeing Ame standing by one of the pillars. Maka watched from the gates as Ame gave Soul a bag and bowed her head before turning to run. Soul regrouped with Maka with a small grin on his face.

"So what'd she want?" Maka asked. Soul opened the bag for Maka to see. Maka gasped.

"Styluses," he replied. "She felt bad for losing the others and bought a bunch. She's such a blockhead sometimes."

They went home and Soul put the bag of styluses on the couch lazily.

"Soul," Maka chided.

"Fine, fine," Soul mumbled, going to retrieve the bag to take it into his room. However, when he reached the couch, he saw something small and thin resting on the arm. Soul stiffened and picked up the stylus he had lost a week ago.

"WHY?!"


	20. Chapter 20

"You mean you spent all that money on styluses for Soul's DS?" Kid inquired Ame. They were in the dining room, the designated grounds for family meetings and—newly established—Kid yelling at Ame. Kid was standing in front of Ame with his arms crossed and Ame was sitting across from him in a chair. She had her head down.

"I did," she admitted. "Are you angry?"

Kid suddenly began laughing, startling Ame and driving her to jump out of her chair.

"I can't believe you spent all that money on _him_! Soul's right, you really are a… blockhead sometimes," Kid wiped away a tear and held his hand out for Ame to help her to her feet. Ame took it and smiled slightly. Deep down, she felt kind of ashamed. He didn't know what else she'd spent the money on, and she was hesitant to bring it up.

Tomorrow was Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day

Snow coated the ground the next morning. Liz and Patti were the first outside, eager to play in the rare joy. Ame and Kid, on the other hand, bundled up in their coats and stood on the sidelines of the park to watch.

"It's so cold today," Kid sighed, looking up at the sky. He felt something leaning against him and looked down. Ame was leaning on him, her eyelids drooping slightly. "It's kind of pretty, isn't it?"

Ame snapped upright, shaking the snow off her head. She looked out at the field of white, exhaling a cloud and nodding. Kid smiled slightly and began petting Ame between the ears to keep her head warm. She made a sound in the back of her throat, almost like a sigh or a purr.. it seemed she liked it. Nagi and Rin were in their human forms, playing with Liz and Patti. They seemed to be having fun.

"So, got any dates tonight?" Liz taunted as Nagi threw some snow at her. The older triplet was tall and athletic despite his lacking of divine powers. Rin was shorter and ganglier.

"Of course not! Human girls don't really like the wolf thing," Nagi replied, kicking more snow in her direction. Liz dodged the attack. "Why would I anyway?"

"Don't you know what day it is?" Liz laughed. "Patti, would you like to explain?"

"Valentine's Day is when Ame and Kid get a day to themselves!" Patti said. Liz sweat-dropped. She never fully understood how Patti could be so supportive of the KidxAme shipping.

"Oh, I see how it is," Nagi laughed.

"He'd better treat my sis like a gentleman should!" Rin shouted. He was shorter than his brother and acted a bit young for his age, but hey, that just made him even more like Patti. "I'll shred his liver if he hurts her!"

Nagi sweat-dropped. Yes, the ladies dig a violent younger brother.

"Sorry about that," Liz apologized as Patti and Rin continued playing. "Patti's kind of weird like that; she's fond of Ame."

"No, I should apologize," Nagi said. It was odd apologizing to a human; he usually hated humans. "Rin is kind of violent, but he actually likes your partner a lot."

"Patti is violent too, so I'm completely used to it," Liz said, waving her hands in front of her face. "Anyway, if you don't have anything to do tonight, I'd be glad to take you and Rin out to a movie. You know, as a courtesy thing since you've never been on a date before. I'll buy."

"That would be cool," Nagi nodded. He glanced at Rin, who stuffed snow down Patti's coat. Patti squealed and charged at him. "Rin's kind of childish, but he's good with scary movies."

"Patti too!" Liz was astounded by the uncanny resemblance. "She can take on anything." She shivered slightly.

"What about you?" Nagi asked. Liz looked down shamefully.

"I hate ghosts and spirits and stuff," she admitted with a nervous laugh. She'd never opened up to anyone before. Nagi stepped toward her, closing the distance between them and wrapping an arm around her.

"Then I'll protect you," he said, flashing his fangs in a facetious grin before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Liz blushed and pushed him away.

"I will shoot you if you do that again!" she warned frantically.

Nagi laughed. "You're cute. Now, about my sister. Did she give him the chocolate yet?"

"What chocolate?"

Ame watched the others play in the snow and glanced at Kid. He was staring ahead, unmoving; he was either tired or angry. He shifted his gaze to her and she stiffened, jolting forward again. Kid laughed under his breath and put his hand on her head down in a soft patting motion, making her stiffen and squeak.

"Ame," he said in a low voice. "What did you do this time?"

Ame sighed, reaching up and taking his hand in hers. Kid never noticed how small her hands were before. So fragile and tiny… Ame turned to him, putting her feet up on the bench behind her so she had his full attention. She put a small red box in his hands.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Kid," she murmured. Kid looked at the box in his hands with a breathless expression. He'd never really accepted chocolate before. He'd received some from his 'secret admirers' at school, which he usually threw out or more often gave to Liz and Patti, but he'd never expected something from Ame. Of course, with how serious she was about them, it did make sense, but the question was… is this courtesy chocolate or something more?

Kid smiled warmly at her like he knew she liked. "Thank you… Amaterasu."

Ame stared at him with a blank expression, two thin trails of blood running down her upper lip. Kid repressed a sigh. That wasn't very ladylike, but still… it was kind of cute that she'd get so excited about him using her full name.

Soul Eater

Kid and Ame went shopping for that night's dinner. Since the other four were going out, Kid and Ame would be left alone, and it seemed like a waste to cook an entire meal for two people. Kid really didn't want to take Ame, at first, since it was a supermarket and it was Valentine's Day and he'd probably have to buy her whatever she wants. However, after a brief argument, Kid found himself standing in front of the supermarket with Ame at his side. He sighed; might as well let her have her way once in a while.

"What would you like for dinner?" he asked her as he picked up a basket and began browsing the aisles.

"Can I have anything I want?" Ame asked excitedly.

"I have limits, Ame," Kid laughed.

"Then I want frozen TV dinners," Ame said. Kid yelped in surprise as she gave him a forceful but comical shove into the correct aisle.

"How untraditional," Kid thought. Ame opened up the small freezer and reached for the top shelf. Kid was reading the back of one box when he noticed her troubles. She was too short. He sighed and reached above his head to retrieve one of the boxes.

"How many do you want?" he asked, reading the label on the back.

"Just one."

"Are you sure one is going to be enough for you?" Kid asked. Ame shot him the death glare.

"Don't make me smack you," she snarled under her breath. Kid smiled, but cringed obediently, putting their food in the basket. With that, they moved on to produce. Kid paused by one of the side racks first, picking something up and showing it to Ame.

"I know I shouldn't get too much," he said, showing her the box of strawberry Pocky. "But it's a holiday; you deserve at least a few sweets. I'll pick up some honey biscuits for you, too. Maybe wolves crave honey; it's not too sweet or too sour."

"Yes!" Ame cheered, sticking to his arm as they continued to the vegetables. Ame tried to not wrinkle her nose; she didn't like anything Kid was looking at. She let her eyes wander over to the fruits and paused when she saw a woman standing there. The supermarket was full of people, but this person stood out to her. She was wearing a black jacket and her long blond hair hung loosely about her face. She had an eye-patch over one eye. Ame didn't really care about that; she had her eyes on the wrapped container of sushi in her basket. Ame snatched the Pocky from Kid's basket without him noticing and stood in front of the lady.

"Oh, hello there," the woman smiled at her kind-heartedly. "Are you lost, honey?"

Apparently Ame was short enough to pass for a child in her eyes. Ame offered the Pocky and pointed to the sushi in the lady's basket. The woman looked down as if she didn't understand.

"Make trade," Ame suggested.

"Hmm? You want this?"

Ame nodded.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I need it for dinner tonight."

"No worries," Ame said, holding out the Pocky. "We trade."

"But I don't need that."

"Ame!" Kid snapped, realizing what was going on. He turned to the woman, hoping Ame's harassment hadn't scared her. "I'm terribly sorry about this… Miss Marie."

"Hi, Kid," the woman smiled, waving slightly. Ame's ears twitched. They knew each other? Getting that sushi would be a cinch now! "You know this little girl? Are you babysitting?"

"She's my age," Kid said, the two of them sweat-dropping. Ame sniggered under her breath.

"Oh! Sorry," Marie said in a panicky tone. "It's hard to see her in that coat, you know?"

"Yes," Kid nodded. "She's—"

"His betrothed," Ame interjected in a dark voice.

"Not from around here," Kid snapped. He tugged either side of Ame's hair as if to cover up the fact she didn't have human ears. "See? She's socially inept. Hahaha."

"Ah, you must be Amaterasu, then," Marie realized, shifting her gaze to Ame. Ame gasped; she knew her? "Or Ame, I guess you want to be called. I've never seen Kid so high-strung about anybody before. You must be his girlfriend. Lord Death is right; you two are cute together."

"My father said what?!" Kid demanded as Marie began walking away.

"Here," Marie said, holding the sushi out for Ame. "I guess a wolf has to eat more than we do anyway. You like sushi?"

"I like rice balls more," Ame said.

"Ame!" Kid scolded.

"I like the way the seaweed and rice taste. I guess they aren't too spicy for me; I hate spicy things…."

"And she's ignoring me," Kid realized as Marie began stroking Ame's head. This brought to his mind a compelling question. "Why do they all ignore me when Ame is around?"

"So you spent the rest of your money on chocolate, is that it?" Kid asked Ame later that evening. They were in his room, dressed casually and snacking on the Pocky they'd gotten earlier. Kid thought they would do something more special, but the one thing he liked most about Ame was her ability to understand him. Wolf or not, she understood what it was like to be a god.

"I still have some left over," Ame replied, a stick of Pocky dangling from between her teeth. "The customers gave me a bunch in tips. But I'll probably transfer it to yen if we are to go to Japan soon. Will you help me?"

"Sure," Kid nodded, straightening the lamps on either of his bedside tables. "Maybe we can take a small detour and visit that village you wandered into. Cheri Village, right? They're the last civilization to worship Ikiru. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Perhaps," Ame murmured. Her voice was small and slightly strained. Kid turned around to look at her; she was staring into her empty cup with a distant gaze, her face was flushed and her tail curled around her hips, the tip resting on the center of her back.

"You've been drinking a lot," Kid noted. Ame set her cup down and rolled onto her side. "Hey, don't ignore me. Did you eat too much?"

"If I go back, that woman would probably hit me again," Ame muttered. "I don't like it when people hit me."

"It makes you lonely, doesn't it?" Kid asked, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "I apologize; I never meant to upset you. Maybe you are higher than me. No, wait—I didn't mean that!" Kid wracked his brain for a better thing to say. "You're not anything special, not that came out wrong… ordinary? No, that's not it either…."

Ame started laughing. She flopped onto her stomach and continued giggling for a few moments. "Not so eloquent after all, are we? Honestly, with your vocabulary, you'll never attract women."

"Why you!" Kid started. Ame rolled of the other side of the bed and landed on her knees.

"That's why you have me," she said, tilting her head and giving a toothy grin. Kid smiled back at her; he couldn't help it.

"So how do you like the biscuits?" he asked.

"You were right about the honey, I like it," Ame smiled, wagging her tail, proud of her friend for finding what he sought. "And the apple cider tastes lovely with it."

"I'm glad," Kid smiled, kicking his feet in the air inattentively and folding his arms underneath him.

The next morning, Ame wasn't speaking. She met Liz, Patti, and Kid downstairs for dinner and held up a sign.

"Throat hurts. Too much honey. Don't like anymore."

Kid slammed his head on the table.

**Wow this feels really out of place when it's almost Thanksgiving! It's a sweet chapter anyway. And too bad about the honey! Kid was so close! But he missed…**


	21. Chapter 21

Ame was in her wolf form, viciously stalking a cricket bug hopping merrily along the sidewalk. Her tail shook once before she pounced, taking the cricket between her paws and batting at it playfully. The bug hopped once in protest to her rough game, to which she barked heartily.

"Ame, are you coming?" Kid asked, slightly amuzed.

Ame snuffed slightly as she leapt to follow Kid, transforming and getting to her feet to walk beside him.

"So Maka told me about a carnival coming up soon," Ame said. She was walking to school with him. He'd been a little late getting around since one of the paintings above the fireplace was crooked, but he insisted Liz and Patti go on without him.

"Oh, that?" Kid asked. "It's not that far away, actually. It's held every year around this time; you know, in spring where they can do it at night without anyone getting too cold? Our class is actually going to set up a booth with food samples. It seems random, but my father actually wanted to kind of pay a hinting tribute to you and your power."

"Sounds great," Ame smiled.

Food Festival; Who's Cooking Skills Will Prevail?

"Lord Death asked me to supervise in the food-making for the carnival," Tsubaki told the others over lunch. The eight friends had gathered on the roof for lunch so Ame wouldn't have to deal with all the people in the cafeteria.

"You're great at cooking, Tsubaki," Maka complimented, giving her friend a thumbs-up. "I think he made a great choice."

"Thank you," Tsubaki nodded graciously. "I'm going to be stay late today to test a few of the recipes, but I don't think I can do it on my own. Most of this stuff is kind of complex and I haven't had that much experience with cooking in small portions."

"We can help you," Liz offered.

"You will?" Tsubaki asked. "Oh, no! You don't have to do that!"

"It's no problem," Liz assured her. "If you need help, you need help."

"Yeah, and besides, we want to see those recipes for ourselves before the festival," Soul added.

"Looks like I'm getting a free meal tonight," Blackstar said.

"Maka CHOP!"

"I've gained some experience," Ame said.

"More than just some experience, Ame," Kid smiled at her. "I'm impressed with your cooking skills."

"Just tell me what to do!" Ame continued, getting more and more fired up since Kid complimented her. "I'll help."

"Thanks, you guys."

After school, they all met up again in the home economics room. It was a bit deserted and not used very often; home ec wasn't really what they taught at this school.

"Glad you could all make it," Tsubaki smiled at them. "There are two cooking stations, and two recipes, so I think we should split into two groups."

"Sounds good," Soul agreed.

"I think Ame and Kid should be on different teams," Liz interjected suddenly. The two said beings turned to stare at her. "So they won't get distracted. Also, I think it would be cool to see who's really the better cook of the household."

"Why you," Ame and Kid thought at the same time.

"Fine by me," Kid shrugged. Ame felt as if he'd just stabbed her.

"Okay, then it will be Kid, Blackstar, Patti and Liz against Maka, Ame, Tsubaki and I," Soul said.

"I could switch with Patti," Ame thought. "We both have the same attention span, is all."

In truth, she just didn't want to be outshined by Kid or hurt his feelings if she outshined him.

"This isn't a competition, Soul," Kid snapped. "If it is, then why not you and Maka be on different teams? I'm sure you'd love to see who the better cook is."

"Okay, then Patti and I can switch," Soul said.

"No!" Ame thought desperately, recognizing she'd missed her chance.

"It's practically boys against girls now," Liz mumbled.

Tsubaki looked at the recipe card. "It looks pretty simple; it's curry and rice."

"Is it spicy?" Ame piped in, her ears twitching. She was kind of in a bad mood since she couldn't be with Kid.

"Give it a chance, Ame," Maka said in a rather reassuring tone. "You never know."

"We'll be cooking potatoes with cheese and bacon bits, it looks like," Soul said, staring at their own recipe card. Ame's ears perked and she turned to them with a hungry glare. They were put on the wrong teams.

"Uh-oh," Tsubaki said as she uncased the vegetables they were supposed to be using. "They're all stale."

The others stared into the container with looks of displeasure.

"Hey, Ame, didn't you say you had the power to heal plants?" Soul asked. "Go ahead and use rejuvenation on it."

"Okay," Ame used her tail to scribble furiously over the containers. Everyone was shocked when the spoiled, slimy plants became trees right in the middle of the room. Ame stared at her work with tired eyes. "Well, that didn't work."

"I can get some more from the store," Kid volunteered.

"That would be great, Kid-sempai!" Liz shouted, giving him an exaggerated hug.

"When are you going to let that go, woman?!" Kid demanded.

While Kid was at the store, the others started on their meals. Maka tended to the boiling water and Tsubaki and Ame cut vegetables.

"It helps when you cut things into random shapes," Tsubaki informed Ame as they cut the few vegetables they were able to salvage from the trees.

"Nyu," Ame nodded, cutting rather slowly.

"While Kid's not here, let's talk about him," Liz suggested. Ame perked and threw a knife skillfully at Liz's head. Liz dodged in time, muttering a small 'oh god.'

"Liz, you know better," Tsubaki chided, but she was smiling too. "Honestly, you've become a little trouble maker since Ame came along."

"I can't help it; Ame just makes it too easy to have a good time is all, can you blame me?"

Another knife was shot at Liz's head, but someone caught it by the handle two centimeters before impact. Liz looked up to see Kid standing in front of her with a small bag in his arms.

"Liz, will you please stop antagonizing Ame?" he asked simply. He set the vegetables on the table and held a small box out in front of Ame. She perked immediately, reaching out for the Hello Panda with a kitty-face grin. "I got you a snack. Cheer up, girl."

"Girl?" Soul's head snapped up and he dropped his kitchen utensils. Kid blushed; he didn't mean to call her that! She was just so cute….

"Uh, yeah," Kid tried to defend himself before they got any ideas. "You know, we were thinking about names the other night and how you all thought her name was going to be something like Life the Girl? Well, I guess I took that and started calling her 'girl' all of a sudden."

"Yeah," Ame added, trying desperately to cover up his fault as well. "And I call him 'Kitty' cause we're sort of like a wolf and a cat."

"You're not helping," Kid muttered.

"Oh, I see," Tsubaki nodded, turning to Ame. "Is that right, girl?"

Ame hissed at her and bit her hand once for good measure before staring intently at Kid as if to establish that he was the only one allowed to call her that. She continued chopping vegetables at an alarming rate.

"At least watch what you're doing!" he cried in a near-panic. "And you shouldn't bite people!"

"Ugh, my eyes are watering," Tsubaki said as she cut the onions for the curry.

"Did you know that the chemicals actually affect the receptors in your nose?" Maka asked. Ame's ears fluffed.

"Really?" she asked. She reached for a half of onion and walked to the opposite team. "Bla-ack-star!" she sang.

"Wha-a-at?" Blackstar chimed back as if half-mocking her and turned his head so he could see her. Without warning, Ame squirted fresh onion juice in his face. The hit box reached both of his eyes, but not his nose. Blackstar doubled back in pain. "My eyes! What the heck, woman?!"

"It works on the eyes too!" Ame cried as if she just discovered something that amazed her.

"I should have known you were going to do something like that," Maka said.

Ame was just checking the rice when the delicious scent of food made her stomach growl quietly. She blushed.

"Uh—sorry," she apologized at once.

"Don't worry about it," Tsubaki smiled at her. "It's actually kind of cute when your stomach growls like that, so you shouldn't be embarrassed."

"Come to think of it," Patti chimed in. "What sound wouldn't be cute?"

"Well, now that I think of Maka's stomach growling," Soul smirked.

"Why am I the example?!" Maka demanded angrily. Just as she said the words, her stomach let out a loud boom.

"My point is proven," Soul said.

"Shut up, Soul!"

Once the meals were finished, it was tasting time.

"Try our curry first," Maka insisted.

"Sure," Soul complied. "Since we're saving the best for last."

"MAKACHOP!"

"I think we did well," Tsubaki told her teammates.

"The pain is almost bearable," Ame agreed.

"Not bad," Liz said as she tried the curry. "It's so warm. You guys did great."

"You've outdone yourself, Maka," Soul complimented. "You should try making this for dinner some time. I like it."

"God approves," Blackstar declared.

Ame stared intensely at Kid, awaiting his divine judgment. Her ear flicked once. Kid smiled.

"It feels warm on the inside," he said. Ame put her head down in defeat, and Kid tried to cover up whatever it was that he did wrong. "It's got a nice tang to it and the flavor is perfectly balanced, so I love it."

"Kyuuuu," Ame sighed, a cloud of depression draping over her body.

"It's really good, Ame, so… I don't get it." He didn't get why she wasn't happy and proud.

"Kid," Tsubaki said. "You know there's something you should say to a girl when she makes you a good meal, right?" she winked once and Kid understood immediately.

"Of course," he said. "Ame, I think whoever marries you will be a very lucky man."

Ame's lips moved rapidly as she made a soft 'fufufu' chattering noise before she collapsed backward in an extreme nosebleed. Kid sweat-dropped, as they all did.

"Ours next!" Blackstar cheered.

Tsubaki bowed her head. "Thank you."

"Tsu-ba-ki," Maka sang. Tsubaki turned her head in time for Maka to put a spoonful of potato and cheese in her mouth. "Mmm. Here, you should try it." Tsubaki returned the favor.

"So good!" Maka chirped. Ame watched the odd scene carefully. They looked cute when they fed each other. Ame lifted a spoonful of the food.

"Patti," she addressed quietly. The said girl turned to her and smiled like she was the happiest person on earth.

"Thank you!" she said, eating what Ame fed her. "This tastes so good!~"

"Ame?"

The wolf turned around to see Kid with a spoon in his hand.

"Open up."

Ame did as she was told and leaned towards the food. However, Kid pulled it away at the last minute! Ame was so upset that she just stared at him for a moment with furious tears in her eyes before jumping and biting him on the head.

"Ow!" Kid whimpered, dropping the spoon onto the table.

"She's biting his head off!" Patti laughed.

"That's so cute!" Liz agreed.

"I realized at the last moment," Kid choked out. "How hot it was." Ame paused in her relentless gnawing and looked down at him. "I didn't want you to burn yourself."

Ame sank to the ground, her face hot with a deep red blush. She glared at him and screamed.

"You idiot!"

**Took me a few tries to get that first scene in there, with Ame being in her wolf form. Also, you may have noticed that I've stopped doing title sequences. Well, since it's the second arc, I kind of want a new theme. You can review if you have any ideas!**


	22. Chapter 22

"What do people do at carnivals?" Ame asked.

"Well, basically, you go around playing games and you can win some cool stuff," Kid explained it in the simplest way possible. "Just remember to watch your step; it will be pretty crowded. And no head-bashing things."

"What about food?"

"Don't start that yet!" Kid gawked at her in disbelief.

Night of the Carnival! Will It Be An Uninterrupted Event?

"So what should we do first?" Maka asked. "There's a whole bunch of stuff we could try. Maybe we could give Tsubaki a hand at the food stand."

"Aw, come on, Maka," Soul complained. "You're here to have fun, right? Let's do something fun."

"This place is totally happening!" Ame exclaimed, wagging her tail furiously. "It's almost like the New Year's Celebration!"

"New Year's, huh?" Kid asked. "What did your family do?"

"Oh, well…" Ame got a sheepish look on her face. "Inochigami would gather and have a banquet with the deities of the zodiac, kind of like in that legend. But my family never really did that since the gods were lost. Sorry, I don't know where that came from, I just kind of… remembered or something."

"I guess it was you eye again, huh?"

They stopped by the class's curry stand first.

"Hey, Tsubaki," Maka greeted. "Just came to check on you."

"Hi guys," Tsubaki waved. "Having a good time? My shift will be over soon, so I'll catch up with you then."

"You've done enough for today," Sid, who was supervising the stand, told her. "Go have fun with your friends. It's a carnival after all."

"Thank you, sir," Tsubaki nodded and walked out from behind the booth.

"Why don't you take some food on the house?" Sid suggested. "You and your friends deserve it after all the hard work you did."

"Thank you!"

Ame was the only one that was silent.

"Ame, be polite," Kid chided quietly. He blinked when he realized she didn't even take the food he offered her. She was gazing at Sid with an unfathomable expression.

"You must be Ame," Sid said, oblivious to her awkward staring. "I've heard a lot about you. Why don't you take whatever you like? You can take more if you need? Um… is anything wrong?"

Ame snapped, waving her arms furiously and making several biting motions with her teeth while screaming, "NYAAH! NYANGNYAGNYANGNYONG!"

"Ah! What's wrong?!"

"Apparently you don't like zombies," Soul said as soon as they were able to tear her away from Sid. He raised his head when he heard a loud crackle.

"Look at the pretty fireworks!" Maka pointed upwards as the sky was alight with colors, they watched for a few minutes until Ame noticed a very constant pattern.

"I don't much enjoy the pattern they're using," Kid remarked. "It's not symmetrical, nor does it really resemble anything."

"It looks like a dyslexic big dipper," Ame agreed.

"What pattern?" Tsubaki asked.

"What are you guys talking about?" Liz pressed. Kid and Ame gave it another look before they realized.

"Is that…?"

"A constellation!" Ame confirmed Kid's speculations. She scribbled in the missing stars and the two of them suddenly saw a bright light. The god they had awakened was a boar perched on a round paper cherry bomb.

"This is the Divine Realm," Kid looked around for a moment. It was very white with clouds everywhere. He also noticed that Ame was in her wolf form.

"Ah, Amaterasu," the boar said. "I have heard rumors from my gravestone that an Inochigami had returned. As a sign of my gratitude, I, Bakugami, god of explosive force, give you the second destructive power you will wield—Cherry Bomb."

Kid saw another bright light before the settings returned to normal.

"Kid! Kid, are you okay?!" Liz demanded. Kid looked at her.

"I'm fine," he replied seriously. "Why? Did something happen?"

"You and Ame just kinda… spaced out for a long time," Liz replied. "It was kind of scary."

"We thought you were spirited away," Patti added quietly.

"Where did you hear a word like that?" Kid asked, turning to look inquiringly at Ame, but she'd already moved on.

Moving on now.

"Karaoke!" Liz pointed out. "Come on, Ame, you should try it!"

"I should? But I'm not sure," Ame fiddled with the corner of her fancy kimono-style shirt.

"It'll be fine, just go up there!" Liz commanded and she and Patti shoved Ame up to the stage. There weren't that many people around yet.

"I wonder what traditional Japanese song she'll pick this time," Kid sighed. To his surprise, a filtered punk beat began playing from the speakers. He thought it was a mistake, but Ame seemed to be enjoying it. She cleared her thought and began speaking into the microphone.

** "Mic, test, mic test," **she said.

"Is that part of the song?" Tsubaki asked.

"I don't know. I've never heard this song before."

"Who's that girl?" a person not too far away from them asked her friends.

"Never seen her before."

"This song is weird. Do you think she'll botch it?"

"Let's just wait," a third girl advised. "This could get interesting."

** "Okay," **Ame nodded to herself and began singing in a very powerful voice.

**"Ah! A-a-AAAAHH—a-a-a-a-ah!"**

The others couldn't help but bob their heads a bit as a catchy beat began playing.

**"Moshi, kono sekai ga subete**

** Otogibanashi da to shitara**

** Kimi wa kitto nageku daro**

** Nande konna sekai na no sa**

** Ah-AH! Ah-ah-ah-ah-UH!**

** Moshi, kono sekai ga subete**

** Otogibanashi da to shitara**

** Kimi wa kitto nageku daro**

** Konna sekai buchi kawashite yo**

** AI! To shigarami ni torawareta**

** Kotoba wa ushinawarete**

** Ai to yokubou ni torawareta**

** Kimi no minikui kodoku wo**

** Chotto kite, chocchotto oide**

** Chotto hora, nannimo shinai kara**

** Chotto hora, chocchotto oide**

** Chotto mite, naitenai de, **_**ne?**_

** Chotto patto hakidashite, hora**

** Tsumoritsumotta Frustration**

** Mattenai de buchikonde, ima**

** Otete tsunaide Teleportation**

** Watto haita tsubuyaki ga, ima**

** Kimi to tsunagaru Collaboration**

** Burabura samayotta, ah**

** Megurimegutte, Satisfaction WAA; A-AAAAAAHH!"**

"Wow, she's really good," a girl muttered in awe as her boyfriend standing next to her began applauding. Ame was enjoying the attention she was getting and flashed a toothy grin. She looked kind of cute up there, being a tiny girl with a big voice like that.

**"e-eh-eh-eh-chotto ba; e-eh-eh-eh-chottoba; e-eh-eh-eh-chott—" pop!**

** Uu—"AI! to shigarami ni torawarete**

** Kotoba wa ushinawarete**

** Ai yokubou ni torawareta**

** Boku wa kodoku wo kowasu yo**

** Chotto kite, chocchotto oide**

** Chotto hora, nannimo shinai kara**

** Chotto hora, chocchotto naite**

** Boku koto, shinjite yo ne, **_**ne?**_

** Chotto patto, **_**Ne?**_

** Chotto patto hakidashite, hora**

** Tsumoritsumotta Frusteration**

** Mattenai de buchikonde, ima**

** Otete tsunaide Teleportation**

** Watto haita tsubuyaki ga, ima**

** Kimi to tsunagaru Collaboration**

** Burabura samayotta, ah**

** Megurimegutte, Satisfaction KYAA; A-AAAAAAHH-Ah!"**

The song ended abruptly and the crowd that had gathered around the stage seemed both in excitement, wound up by her show, and disappointed she stopped. She had that effect on people.

When Ame joined them again, everyone was staring at her.

"That was fun," she said.

"Nice… voice," Tsubaki said, a little confused.

"You listen to punk?" Blackstar sneered.

"I tried telling you when we met that I listen to Aki Akane."

"Didn't see that coming," Soul admitted.

"That was awesome!" Maka said, giving Ame a high-five. "I thought I was the only one in the Lucky Eight who liked punk music!"

"What was that?" Kid thought. "I honestly thought she'd pick something more… godlike. Maybe Bakugami caused an explosion in her brain."

Next Liz and Patti lead Ame to the shooting booth.

"What is this?" Ame asked.

"It's a target practice booth," Liz explained. "If you hit something and it falls over, you get to keep it."

"Watch this," Patti said with a mischievous grin. She turned to the boy behind the counter. "How does this work?"

"Didn't Liz just explain this?" Ame thought to herself.

"Anything you knock over, you get to keep," the boy said.

"Anything?" Liz pressed in a rather taunting tone.

"Yep."

Ame watched them as they eyed all the prizes for a moment before they each aimed a pistol at the boy. Ame gasped.

"I'm not a prize, lady," the boy said defensively. "Lower the gun and back away."

Liz smirked and set the gun down. "Reminds me of the old days when Patti and I were on our own."

"Excuse me, Liz," Kid said, casually stepping in between the two girls and picking up two pistols and holding them upside down. With expert skill and precision, he aimed for the large giraffe and pulled the triggers. As expected, the large plushy toppled over.

"What does Kid want with that?" she thought.

"Here, Patti," Kid handed her the giraffe. Patti squealed excitedly.

"Thank you, Kid!" she said. Ame deadpanned. No way! She didn't even want it! However, now that she thought about it, there was something she wanted.

Kid turned around to see Ame pointing one of the cork guns at him. He sweat-dropped. Liz and Patti began snickering under their breath.

"You two are a bad influence on her," Kid stated.

On to the crane games!

"So cute!" Tsubaki cooed as she walked down the row of crane games. They were filled with plushies of all kinds.

"You want one, Tsubaki?" Maka asked. Tsubaki gave her a shy grin.

"It would seem, but I really am terrible at these kinds of games," she admitted.

"I bet I could help you," Maka said. "It's a total snap for me since I'm so good with angles."

"Cause you clearly aren't good with curves," Soul said.

"Shut up Soul!"

Ame was just beginning to walk down the opposite end of the aisle when she saw Maka win the perfect prize and hand it to her best friend.

"Here you go," she said. "Good thing it was sticking up like that, right?"

"Sticking up…" Ame thought as she peered into the crane machines. She instantly regretted looking into one because the moment she saw it, she wanted it. It was a pretty, adorable (symmetrical) panda bear! But even if she wanted it, she didn't think she deserved to have it. It was too cute and she was too… senseless. She was brutish and clumsy and it wasn't a wonder why Kid called her a blockhead. She shouldn't want such a cute thing.

"Do you want it?" Kid suddenly appeared behind her. Ame tensed. She couldn't ask him for it.

"No," she replied firmly.

"Why not?" Kid asked. "I think it looks cute."

"No," Ame muttered, blushing furiously and looking down. "I don't want it…." Tears began to brim her eyes. That's odd; tears? Ame never cries. "Because cute things don't suit me."

Kid's eyes widened. He stepped around her hastily and put a quarter into the machine. He wasn't the best at this kind of thing, but the panda was really easy to get. After retrieving it, he put it on top of Ame's head, where she had to hold it to keep it in place. She looked like a content cat with her eyes closed and her upper lip sticking out slightly. Kid thought she looked _very _cute, standing there, holding a panda to her head like a ditz.

Ame opened her eyes and flushed a deep strawberry pink. She looked away sheepishly.

"I-I told you I didn't want it," she tried to sound angry.

"I think it suits you perfectly," he told her.

"So… cute!" Patti sighed.

It was late when they got home and Kid was eager to just go to bed.

"Come on, settle down, you two," Kid told Liz and Patti. "It's time to sleep."

"You mean like Ame?" Liz pointed to the couch as the two sisters went upstairs. Kid went into the living room to look where Liz had been pointing. Surely enough, Ame was already asleep, cuddling the panda to her chest and putting her lips on the back of its neck in a sleep-kiss.

"Aw," Kid thought. "She actually looks really young like that. It almost makes me feel perverse for living with her or something. I can't believe she thought she wasn't cute. In truth…" he changed the direction of his thoughts abruptly. "I hope she likes that panda. She hasn't put it down since I got it for her."

Kid glanced at the clock and stifled a yawn. It was definitely time for bed. He carefully gathered Ame in his arms, carrying her like a child, and brought her upstairs.

"Somebody needs to lose weight," Kid thought as he finally set her down in bed. He tucked her in and gazed at her peaceful face. He couldn't resist, so he leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. However, when he turned around a certain pair was watching them.

"First you carried her like a baby," Patti giggled, quietly so she wouldn't disturb Ame.

"Then you totally kissed her," Liz added. "Man I wish I had a camera."

"Darn you, Liz!"

**Aw again! This kind of feels like a nearing-the-end-of-the-filler chapter, doesn't it? These chapters feel so long! Well, till next time!**


	23. Chapter 23

Ame was on her way to the DWMA. The little panda bear was stuffed in the white bag she always had with her. She wanted to visit with Lord Death and thank him for the food at the carnival when a familiar voice called to her.

"Ame! Hey Ame!"

Ame turned around to see the nice lady that gave her the sushi on Valentine's Day. Ame was happy to see her, but then she noticed a particular person standing next to her. He had silver hair and a screw through his head. Ame could sense a great madness wavelength coming from him. Ame transformed without thinking and charged at them.

"Oh, no-stop-wait!" Marie stuttered, putting her hands in front of her as if that would stop the divine being. She must have misinterpreted Ame's reaction, however, since no harm came to Stein. Ame pounced on him, but waited on top of his chest, wagging her tail slightly and making a small whine at the back of her throat. Marie sweat-dropped; she didn't know what was going on.

"Uhm… okay, Ame, I think you need to get off of him now," she said. She helped Stein to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"So this is the wolf goddess you wouldn't stop talking about?" Stein smiled at Ame as she shifted to human form. "I can tell why; her soul wavelength is a rareness that soothes my troubled soul. She's a bit younger than I thought she'd be."

Ame deadpanned. "I'm fourteen!"

A Full Table; Is This Their Happily Ever After?

Ame sipped the hot tea Lord Death gave her. She hated to bother him, but she didn't know how bored Lord Death was, nor how fond he was of her. Ame sat around the table with Death, Stein, Spirit, Marie, and Sid.

"Looks like Ame-chan attracted a full table," Lord Death commented. The other four sweat-dropped.

"He's right; we only stuck around to see her."

"I'm not surprised," he continued. "Ikiru was filled with such splendor that I was just a shadow in the presence of others. I hope Kid doesn't mind being ignored occasionally. I remember when people would come from all over the world just to spend time with Ikiru. Some of them didn't even talk; they just sat with her, played with her hair. It's odd how an Inochigami can affect others around her; it's almost like a sort of magic."

"I know the feeling," Spirit agreed. He was almost as fond of Ame as Lord Death was, since he was the first friend she'd made at the DWMA. Sort of.

"I also notice that she has a sharp perception of her own," Stein added. "She is an excellent judge of character."

"You're just saying that because she didn't attack you, right?" Sid asked. "I can't believe that; you'll just turn around and dissect her."

Stein gave Ame a creepy smile, the light glaring off of his glasses. He began turning the screw in his head as he entertained the thought.

"And the first time I met her, she growled at me and almost jumped at me," Sid continued, remembering the day before when the wolf was coiled at his feet, rippling with fury. "I don't know what I would have done if she actually did it; when I was alive, I was never the type that would hit an innocent girl just because of a simple misunderstanding. I guess the walking dead thing kind of startled her."

"That's strange," Marie nodded. "Ame's tough, but I didn't think she'd go after a teacher like that."

"She has her reasons," Spirit said. There was a very long and very, very awkward pause. "What? Did I say something?"

"Anyway, I never hear from Ikiru anymore. Now it's all 'Amaterasu this' and 'Amaterasu that.'"

"You hear that Ame? Looks like you're gaining renown after all. Ame?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry! I was just thinking intensely about something," Ame admitted, fiddling with her hands sheepishly. Stein thought it was a very Marie-like gesture. "You know how when you get really sick and you get hungry, but you don't feel like eating?"

?

"She wasn't paying attention, was she?" the others realized.

"Or you feel like eating, but you're not really hungry yet," Ame said. "And then you put the food in your mouth, but you can't bring yourself to swallow."

"Yeah, I guess I get what you mean," Spirit said thoughtfully. If it was what she wanted to talk about, it was what she wanted to talk about. "I guess I never thought about it much cause I was too busy sleeping."

"Yeah, but if you sleep too long, you'll get too hungry," Marie added.

"I dislike that," Ame agreed. "I wake up suddenly and my stomach hurts. I don't even feel like getting out of bed to fix something; I just roll over thinking 'I'll feel better when I wake up.'"

"And no matter what you're sick with, you always end up feeling the same," Stein continued.

"I hate that too," Ame whined quietly. "It feels all weird. It's not like when you feel normal and your organs seem to say 'feed us, feed us' it's more like they've given up all home and shriveled into nothing and you're all hollow like chocolate bunnies!"

"That's the most disturbing mental image I've ever seen!" Spirit thought.

"That doesn't make much sense," Stein said quietly.

"I kind of hate it when you try to settle down to sleep," Marie said to Ame. "In terms of eating, I usually drink some soft chicken noodle soup, but then my temperature gets all wacky when I try to settle down in bed. I feel all hot, but at the same time I feel cold too."

"I know," Ame agreed. "You get cold, but clammy at the same time, so you want to wrap up in a nice soft blanket, but you're also sweaty so it's really gross."

"Why not take a shower if that happens?" Spirit asked. "Hot or cold, whichever would settle you're temperature?"

"Then my hair will get wet!" Ame and Marie snapped at the same time.

"Then just put it up," Spirit continued matter-of-factly.

"But then our hair will just feel all dirty when the rest of us is clean," Marie continued.

"And, you know how a human likes sleeping on the cold side of the pillow?" Ame asked. "Well, I shower at night, so then my hair's wet so the moisture makes the pillow cold. Plus, I got to bed all clean so Kid won't force me to wash my sheets as often."

"That's probably how you got sick in the first place," Spirit sighed.

"I don't know why all humans don't just shower at night," Ame continued. "I hate going to bed dirty. A bath helps me settle down after a long day."

"I guess they're too tired?" Marie suggested with a tilt of her head.

"By the way, while we're at it," Lord Death interjected. "Why do humans like sleeping on the cold side of their pillow anyway?"

"I don't know," Ame thought about it. "As a wolf, I find it very pleasurable as well. I think in the summer, since the rest of us is under a blanket, then our heads can keep cool since it's not that healthy to have an air conditioner blowing near your face."

"But in the winter," Marie interrupted. "It's still comfy. Even when we want the rest of our bodies to be all toasty, I still like my head to be cold. It doesn't make sense."

"Yes, it's a very philosophical argument," Lord Death nodded. "Honestly, Ame, I think you have too much free time to think about these things."

"Yeah, aren't you concerned about world hunger or anything?" Stein asked.

"I have plenty of food," Ame purred. "I-I mean to say! What else is there for otakus and zombies and wolf girls to think about? We're trying to fit in, here."

"I said no—"

"Say nothing, Sid," Ame ordered, pointing at him. "I commented on two other ostracized races of our daily community."

"So now I'm ostracized?"

"I think it's kind of typical for women to only think about food," Spirit mumbled.

"Did you know the girls invented the three second rule?"

"No we didn't!" Ame snapped.

"Be quiet, Ame," Lord Death said, rubbing between her ears with his finger. "Judging by your age, you have no place in deciding our world's history."

"If he only knew," Ame thought, sweat-dropping.

"He kind of treats her like a daughter," Spirit thought to himself, gazing at the two. "Wish my Maka were that tolerant of me."

"Oh, there you are, Ame," Kid said, walking into the Death Room. "I didn't expect to see you here," he remarked as she skipped up to meet him. He glanced at the unusually large group of people surrounding the coffee table and idly wondered what they were all doing there. "Did Ame interrupt something important?"

Ame deadpanned. "Quit treating me like a little kid! I didn't interrupt anything!"

"No, just getting to know each other," Stein replied.

"Ah, I see," Kid shot Ame an accusing glare. "Badgering more food out of your next innocent victims?"

"What?" Marie tilted her head. "Ame's not that bad."

"Yes, she is," Kid insisted. "She'd even abandon a mission for food. Honestly. And I can't take her anywhere; she'd ask for any food she sees."

"That's not true!" Ame snapped. Although it kind of was.

"Don't listen to her," Kid interrupted, tugging on the stray hairs on either side of Ame's head. "She's socially inept. She can't help what she does."

"That's really mean Kiddy!" Ame gasped, struggling against his grip on her hair even though it didn't really hurt.

"Using that name to soften me up won't work this time, Amaterasu," Kid reprimanded. He turned to the others and continued. Ame got even angrier and began thrashing, gnashing her teeth loudly.

"NYANG! NYANG NYANG NYANG NYANG!" she chattered.

"She's just seducing all of you with her cuteness. Then you'll be flat broke just waiting for the essence of your own starvation to—"

Reaper CHOP!

"That's not very necessary, Kid," Lord Death scolded. Kid looked up at him with a dreamy smile.

"Right, sorry."

Lord Death stared at his son for a moment. Kid had never smiled like that; he looked so happy, it was almost as if it was just a dream or a trick of the light. Kid really was happy to know Ame.

"Ah, Ikiru," Lord Death thought, looking upwards. "If only you could see how happy our children are."

Was this their happily ever after?

**This is the perfect image of my church group every Wednesday night XD**


	24. Chapter 24

It was pretty late, and Kid, Liz, Patti, and Ame were all spending some time together in the living room. This was often how nights were spent. Ame would go out and randomly help a few citizens that needed some tender loving care, whilst Kid and the twins would go fight deadly Kishins. Then they would all regroup late in the evening and spend some time in each other's company until retiring for the night. Kid and the twins felt more welcome in common areas with Ame there; the living room felt more like a living room now.

Liz and Patti were playing a game at the coffee table, chatting quietly with each other. Kid had put on an anime for Ame to watch, but she seemed a bit spacy, simply curled up by his side and staring off into nothing. She looked tired. Kid was just about to suggest that they all go to bed.

Ame suddenly reacted, jerking forward with a whimper and clenching a hand over her mouth. Kid leaned closer to her; at first, he thought she'd gotten sick. However, when he looked over her shoulder, he saw the only thing in her palm was a pool of saliva.

"Ame, you okay?" Liz asked, staring at her with a look of surprise on her face.

"What happened?" Kid pressed when Ame didn't answer.

"I thought there was a bug in my mouth," Ame said, still staring at her hand uncomfortably.

"You're just tired," Kid said. "You've been acting a bit odd lately. Is everything alright?"

Ame put her ears back and looked down, whispering something he couldn't understand.

"You have to communicate with words, Ame," he reminded her.

"I'm going to my room," she said, getting to her feet and walking upstairs.

Unsettling Word Puzzle; Ame Out of Control?

Words. Like… 'destruction' and 'hungry' and 'run'? Yes, those things. They are troublesome because Ame doesn't always understand, as a wolf, and others don't really understand her when she says them. Useless things.

Today was White Day. Ame had expected Kid to do something for her, but he did nothing. He just left.

He doesn't want you.

Ame found herself in a room with a knife in her hand. Words could express what she felt… abandoned. Insecure? Her hand jerked out involuntarily and she heard something break. She could no longer see the room before her, but a horrible monster. She didn't like it; it scared her. She didn't know how long she was screaming until someone found her.

"Ame, we're home!" Liz called. There was no answer.

"She must still be out," Kid said, taking off his jacket and making his way to his room. When he got upstairs, the first thing he realized was that his bedroom door was open. That's strange; he usually closed his door to preserve symmetry in the hallways. He was sure he closed it when they left….

He froze in the doorway. What happened to his room?! It was a complete mess. Broken glass was scattered across the ground. Books and anything else that might have once been on an elevated surface were strewn across the ground in a sickening disorder. What were worse were the walls. It looked like someone had taken a sharp object and carved words all over the walls and ceiling.

Death. Murder. Blood. Destruction. Hatred. Pain. Don't Cry.

At first, Kid was afraid someone had ransacked his room to distract him and that something had happened to Ame. However, that apprehension melted into hatred when he saw Ame sitting in the corner with her back to him. He saw a knife in her hands, and she was in the middle of cutting the wall. He was furious. What the hell did she think she was doing?

"I told you never to come in here!"

Ame looked up, startled. Kid ran towards her, ripping the knife from her hands before she could do any more damage. She waited for him to start yelling or hit her, but he remained still and quiet.

"Get out and get downstairs now," he ordered firmly. He was shaking with rage. "I want to talk to you, but I can't stand to do it in this disgusting, asymmetrical room."

Liz and Patti had expected to go home and hang out and relax like they did every day. Then when Ame came home they could spend time together, just the three of them having fun. However, as soon as they got to their rooms, they heard Kid yelling. He sounded really angry. More than usual.

Slowly, the sisters crept downstairs to the dining room. Ame was sitting in a chair against the wall, holding her knees up to her chest. Kid was standing in front of her with his head down.

"Ame." He wasn't yelling. His voice was quiet, which only made it scarier. You know you're in trouble when someone who usually yells at you isn't yelling. "Why did you do something like that?"

Ame had her head down as well. She wasn't looking at him, nor did she look like she was paying attention.

"Why were all the books on the floor? What about the broken glass? Those vases were expensive, Ame, and you could have cut yourself. Also. Why would you carve those things in the wall?"

Ame was silent.

"Tell me, Ame," Kid repeated more forcefully. He was about to snap.

Another moment of silence and Kid was across the room, his arms braced against the wall on either side of Ame's body.

"Dammit, just tell me!"

Ame cringed, looking up at him with teary eyes. Liz couldn't see Kid's expression, but it must have been frightening. Ame just wasn't responding. What was wrong with her? Whatever it was, it was clear Kid was in no mood to deal with it. He gritted his teeth, raising his hand above his head as if he was going to strike her.

"Kid!" Liz shouted, stepping in between them and grabbing his wrist. She was shaking; Kid had _never _tried to hit any of them. "Stop it. Look at her—she's scared. You have to stop."

"… It was my eye, I see all prayers with it," Ame whispered. Liz turned around to look at her uncertainly. What was she talking about? Kid paused as well, but rushed to his room before saying anything.

Soul Eater

Kid was still angry the next day. Ame seemed to be as well. They didn't talk to each other; they just gave each other the silent treatment. It was a good thing the girls were all going to Maka's for a sleepover.

"Remember to mind your manners," Kid chided Ame before she left. "Don't eat food off the floor. Be sure to thank Maka for inviting you, and tell her you had a nice time afterwards."

"Shut up," Ame snapped. "At least they accept me."

"Just go," Kid muttered, shutting the door rather forcefully behind them.

Liz, Patti, and Ame left for Maka's house. Maka and Tsubaki were already there, making last-minute preparations such as food and clean, open space to set up the sleeping bags. Maka greeted them eagerly, and the party commenced.

"So, what do you guys want to do first?" Maka asked.

"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Liz suggested.

"That sounds good to me," Maka nodded she glanced around the rom. "Tsubaki, Ame, what do you think?"

"Sure," Tsubaki nodded. Ame tilted her head.

"Anything you want to do is fine," Ame said. "But I don't really know how to play."

"Alright, the rules are simple," Maka explained. "If someone asks a question, you have to answer it. If you don't or you choose Dare, you have to do whatever they want."

"Sounds fine," Ame said. "Liz, truth or dare?"

"Truth?" Liz answered hesitantly.

"What's my middle name?"

…. ?

"What?" Tsubaki wasn't sure anymore. Patti began laughing psychotically.

"You do know how to play, right?" Maka asked.

"Um… the?" Liz guessed. Maka, Patti and Tsubaki turned their head to her with the same questioning expressions.

"What?"

"You do know she asked you her name, right?"

"Wrong!" Ame pointed a finger at Liz. "So you get dare. Go in the kitchen and make us snacks."

"HAHAHA!" Patti cried, wiping at some tears in her eyes.

"What?"

"You have no idea how to play, do you?"

"Fine," Liz interjected, getting to her feet and retrieving the tray of assorted snacks from the dining room table. She brought it to the center of the circle and they each took something.

"Not bad," Ame sighed, taking a bit out of a garlic rye chip. "I forgive you of all your sins."

"Forgive me for what?! I didn't do crap to you!"

Meanwhile, back at Gallows, the boys were having a much more productive game.

"Kid," Soul began. "Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," Kid didn't trust Soul for anything in this game.

"Is Ame a good kisser?"

Kid choked on the chips he and the others had been munching on. "Excuse me?"

"If you don't want to say," Soul leaned back. "There something I've always wanted to see you do with Ame."

"We've never kissed!" Kid snapped back.

"Are you really betrothed to Ame?" Crona asked feebly. Kid jerked his head in Crona's direction.

"Where'd you hear that?"

"Liz said," Crona replied shyly.

"I'm going to bleeping kill her!" Kid thought, trembling.

"No, we aren't!" Kid cried, shaking his head rapidly.

"Then why does she turn you on?" Blackstar asked. "She's not that special."

"Hey now," Kid warned.

"Alright, Kid, it's your turn now."

"No, I don't want to play anymore," Kid sighed.

"Seriously? Come on, Kid; it's just a game!"

"No, you three have humiliated me enough and I don't have anything to come back with," he retorted quietly. He reached for one of the eight glass-bottle sodas on the coffee table. "Soda?"

"Sure," the others said, grabbing their own. The soda was sweet and fizzy, with an odd aftertaste to it.

"This is good, Kid, where'd you get it?" Soul asked, taking another gulp.

"I think Ame brought it back from Japan," Kid replied. He looked at the plain glass bottles for a label. "A wolf there named Mei-Rin makes potions and stuff. I guess she also makes soda pops."

"Cool," Soul voiced his approval.

"The great Blackstar approves," the said ninja nodded.

"It's really good," Crona nodded.

"So, how late are we staying up tonight?" Kid asked. There was a moment of silence.

"All night," the four chorused, knocking their bottles together.

Two hours later, they were already asleep. Another hour or so passed before Kid awoke. He didn't know what woke him, but he immediately became fearful of the others doing things to him. He had been the first to fall asleep, right? No, Kid vaguely remembered Crona being asleep and the others discussing drawing on his face. Kid sat up, a little light-headed. The others were all asleep too. It was strange—it was only a little after midnight; they usually lasted WAY longer than that.

Kid had a bad feeling. Why couldn't he remember anything? Why had they all fallen asleep? He got to his feet, gripping the wall for support. He felt sick, as if he was on some kind of bad drug. He shook it off, walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water. He was just dehydrated. He'd get a drink and be off to bed again in no time.

Kid opened the refrigerator door and grabbed the glass water pitcher.

Something grabbed him from behind, wrapping one arm firmly around Kid's waist and arms, and putting one hand over Kid's mouth and nose. Kid tensed, about to fight, to scream, to warn the others—something! But Kid's body was numb, and he couldn't do anything. He felt the glass pitcher slide from his hand and fall to the floor.

***gasp* All joking aside, folks…. Things are about to get serious.**


	25. Chapter 25

Liz awoke the next morning to her cellphone ringing. She raised her head and reached over to where it set on the table, careful not to disturb Patti, who was sleeping in Liz's arms. Liz looked at the caller ID before flipping the phone open.

"Hey Soul," she said hoarsely. "What's up? Do you know what time it is?"

"Liz, is Kid there?"

"No, why?" Liz sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Patti stirred in her lap.

"He's not here. He left a note saying he left and he'd be back soon."

"Then why are you calling me?" Liz thought bitterly.

"This… this doesn't seem cool at all," Soul said. "It's not like Kid to leave his guests alone like this. I wanted you to know, just in case something happened to him."

"What are you implying, Soul?" her voice was serious now. She was wide awake. "What kind of thing?"

"I have no idea. I just got a bad a feeling about this."

Lost Night; Kid's Been Taken?!

"Did anything happen last night?" Liz was all but interrogating Soul, Blackstar, and Crona. Kid was nowhere to be found. Maka had the note in her hand.

"_Soul, Blackstar, and Crona—_

_ I've gone out for a while and I'll be back soon. Breakfast should be on the table when you wake up. Be careful not to ruin my house while I'm out._

_ — Death the Kid._"

Kid's handwriting was shaky, as if he was trying not to cry when he wrote it.

"No," Soul replied. "At least… I don't think so."

"What do you mean 'you don't think so'?" Maka pressed.

Ame was poking around the house. She picked up one of the empty soda bottles and sniffed the rim. She wrinkled her nose and pulled back.

"I don't remember a lot that happened, alright?" Soul tried to defend himself. "We fell asleep at about midnight and I didn't wake up since."

"Who was the first to fall asleep?" Tsubaki quizzed. Blackstar looked up. It seemed like a random question to ask.

"Why do you need to know that?" he asked.

"Just tell me," Tsubaki insisted. "You acted kind of weird last night, and it's got me worried."

"Um… I think Soul was the first to fall asleep," Blackstar replied slowly. Whatever had them in a spell last night hadn't seemed to wear off any; Crona was still asleep on the couch.

"No, I remember Kid fell asleep before I did," Soul said. "I… I guess it was Kid? Or… Crona?"

"Something's not right," Maka said. There was another pause as she observed her weapon. "Soul, are you feeling okay?"

"Not really," Soul yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"What did you four do anyway?" Maka asked. "What did you eat? Soul, snap out of it!"

"Maybe you'll remember once you eat something," Tsubaki said, putting a cautioning hand on her friend's wrist. Maka glanced at her, and Tsubaki eyed her meaningfully. "Let them eat something, at least. They're tired, and it's clear someone did something to them."

There was some breakfast on the table, just as the note predicted. Soul was the first one there; Blackstar was still trudging behind him and Liz was trying to awaken Crona. Soul sat down at the table and stared at the plates. Pancakes? Since when did Kid have the time to cook these in the middle of the night? And especially after sleeping like that. Maybe his reaper body was simply immune to whatever made them sleep so much. Wait, then why was Kid asleep at some point?

Soul dismissed the thoughts for later, cutting into the pancake and taking a bite. He chewed and swallowed, but felt something sharp stuck in his throat.

He stood upright at once, coughing violently. One hand was cupped over his face, the other clutching his throat.

"Soul, what's wrong?!" Maka asked, running to his side immediately. Soul coughed again, successfully dislodging whatever it was. He pulled his hand away from his mouth to look at what it was. Maka gasped in horror.

"N-needle!" Soul choked out. He straightened and put the needle on the table. The others gathered in the room. "That makes it official. Kid didn't leave on his own terms."

"Than what happened to him?" Liz whispered.

"I have a theory," Ame spoke up. The others turned to her.

"You have more than a theory," Liz stated, remembering what Ame had said the other day about 'her eye.'

Ame nodded once. "First of all, you three are tired because you were drugged. Where did you get that soda?"

"Kid said you left it here," Blackstar replied.

"I've never seen a soda pop like this before," Ame countered. "But it was made with a rare and powerful drug that causes people to sleep. Crona fell asleep first because he's the weakest of you. Kid fell asleep because this drug could get past his immunity barrier. Blackstar's still tired because he had two."

"What about the needle?" Maka asked.

"I'm getting to that," Ame assured her. Ame was speaking slowly and calmly; her serenity kept the others' madness at bay for now. "Now the rest of this, I'm not one hundred percent certain of—I'm just kind of guessing—but I think it went like this. In the middle of the night, Kid woke up because he heard a noise and his body was able to dissolve the poison first. He realized he didn't feel well and went to the kitchen to get a drink. I looked in the fridge and saw the pitcher was only half full, which is odd even if he wanted to get a little drink. It was like he dropped it and it spilled all over the floor. I think someone grabbed him from behind and he dropped the pitcher in surprise."

The others could see it in vivid detail.

"Next I looked at the note. His handwriting is all scratchy like he was trembling. I think whoever grabbed him told him to write that note, saying he'd hurt Soul and the others if he refused or screamed. Kid was too scared to fuss over the letters, so whoever it was must have been _really_ good."

"So you think he was kidnapped?" Liz proposed, horrified at the thought.

"But that's not all. I looked at the pitcher again and realized it wasn't in the center of the fridge like it always is. I suppose after writing the note, Kid told his captor, 'my friends would be suspicious if I just left this mess here.' So the captor gave him a short amount of time to clean it, which was only enough time to put the pitcher in the fridge and soak up the water with a towel. He wasn't being careful enough because the towel is still in the laundry room.

"The other thing is the pancakes with the needles in them. Kid wouldn't have had time or energy to bake pancakes after being drugged like that, so this part I'm certain of. To finish the job, the captor made pancakes for the others to eat when they woke up. He put needles in them so that you three would choke and die instead of calling Liz and Patti to come home, because whoever did this knew he did it very sloppily."

"And?"

"That's all I have so far," Ame alleged. "My guessing ends there."

Soul Eater

Kid awoke hours later. The drug was finally dissolved in his body, leaving him fully conscious. The room he was in was unfamiliar and dark, and it smelt of blood and dirt. He felt chains binding his wrists and ankles to a chair. Kid struggled, but winced when the chains cut into his raw wrists. Escaping immediately was a no-go, apparently.

"Finally awake, are you, reaper?" a voice asked.

Kid's head snapped up as the room was suddenly alight with several candles. He could definitely sense a witch's soul in the room; his kidnapper, no doubt. She was standing right in front of him. Her appearance was disgusting. Her silver hair was long and parted in a lopsided way. Her eyes were a piercing, frosty blue. It hurt to look at them. She almost looked like Loraine, but this person wore a disconcertingly cruel sneer instead of that familiar wolfy grin. Kid couldn't help but feel a little fear as she stepped dangerously close to him.

"Who are you?" Kid demanded. "What do you want with me?"

"I am the witch Rem," she replied with a grin. "And you'll find out what I want soon enough."

"Well then, Rem," Kid hissed. "Would you mind not standing so close to me? Your appearance is repulsive."

Rem laughed. "I'd slap you for a comment like that, but I need you in a better mental state for my project."

"Your project?" Kid asked as she began circling his chair.

"I need to create something mortal immortal," she smiled demonically, appearing in front of him again. She held up a syringe filled with a black substance. "Just cooperate and I won't hurt you more than necessary."

"Stay away from me," Kid commanded. He didn't want this psycho woman or her needle anywhere near him. Immortal? What was she talking about? He began struggling against the restraints again, but someone grabbed him from behind—probably that wolf Kishin that had taken him in the first place.

Rem plunged the needle into Kid's neck, and he felt tears well up in his eyes and spill over before he could control it. The chemical injected into his veins burned and made his mind a bit hazy from the sudden pain. Once he was released, Kid doubled over and began coughing and sputtering. Small drops of black blood splattered across his lap.

"What did she do to me?" he thought. "Is she trying to get to Ame? Does she want something from my father?" Kid looked up at Rem's sick sneer. "No. she targeted me alone. What does she want?"

Rem took his face roughly in her hand. "Not so big and tough now, huh, Shinigami?"

Kid lashed out reflexively, biting her fingers savagely. Even in this circumstance, he wondered what triggered such a reaction. Honestly, speak of impulsive. Rem recoiled, clutching her bleeding hand. She frowned and turned to her wolf servant.

"Let him have it," she ordered.

Kid felt himself being held from behind again, this time a hand forcing his mouth open. Kid thrashed unwillingly, trying to bite the hand away as he did with Rem. He felt his blood racing; he suddenly smelt blood. Not just blood, but he could tell what kind of blood—wolf's blood. How could he tell that? He felt a glass of the stuff shoved under his nose and tipped back. Kid choked back on the blood. It tasted horrific. He shook his head forcefully, trying to pull away. He was finally released, and he gulped in fresh air.

Only to be forced back in a chokehold. Kid whimpered when he wasn't coughing. The blood was making him feel nauseous and weak. His hands were trembling in their restraints. Blood was terrible. He hated all of this.

As soon as he was released, he passed out from pain and something else that he couldn't quite place. Another drug, maybe? Rem stared at his limp body.

"How long do you think it will take to break him, Master?" the wolf asked.

"He's a Shinigami, but his mind and body are changing," Rem said. "It shouldn't be long. Tomorrow"—she turned her back on the wolf and Kid—"I want to begin the real torture."

"Yes, Master Rem."

**Poor Kid! But, in all honesty, I kind of miss writing this kind of stuff all the time. If you liked it, I recommend my first story Vector Wolf. If you didn't like it, review and tell me and I will put up author's notes before and after the graphic scenes so you won't have to read anymore :)**


	26. Chapter 26

Kid was rudely awoken by a hard kick to his stomach. He curled up tighter reflexively and gasped in pain. He looked up. He was bound by his arms with rope, and he was sitting against the wall. He tried not to panic as Rem set a strange contraption on the table. She knelt in front of him. What was she going to do to him?

"Had a nice rest?" Rem taunted. "It's time for our first torture. Shall we?"

"As you like," Kid replied smartly. "I only have one request."

"Huh?"

"If you cut me on one side, I'd appreciate it if you kept my body symmetrical and cut the other side too."

"You brat!" Rem cursed at him and took a lock of his hair roughly. "Fine, I'll make you symmetrical. But first, I want to make sure you wish you were never born."

Tortured Soul; Breaking a Changing Soul?

**Okay, this chapter is just a day of sadistic torture for Kid. There is a non-graphic summary at the bottom if you want to skip. I won't be offended; you don't have to be brave if this isn't your thing. I just wanted to put in all my skills I've honed as a writer. Okay, see you at the bottom. Owo**

She pulled him to his feet and pushed him towards the table. His restraints magically shifted from his arms to his ankles at the table. Kid looked at the metal contraption with confusion.

"What is this?"

"It's a device designed to remove finger nails," Rem replied. "Each nail torn off will distinguish your sin. Isn't that clever?"

Kid didn't reply. Rem frowned.

"The best part is the victim did it to themselves," she continued. Kid paled. He could handle being tortured by a separate person, but mutilating himself was disturbing. Rem saw his hesitation and took a chance to mess with him. "If you don't, I could always lure Ame here. I'm sure she'd have the courage. She'd probably bring your friends, too, like that dumb girl you found in Brooklyn."

"Fine, I'll do it," he said quickly. Rem smiled once more and began tying the leather straps over Kid's arms. He began to shiver. He did not want to do this.

"The first nail will be for your smart mouth," Rem declared. "Just put your first fingernail in at metal piece there and slam your fist down on the lever."

Kid hesitated. Sweat was dripping from his forehead and dribbling on the table. Kid tried steadying himself. He slipped his index finger into the metal bit of the contraption and balled his opposite hand into a fist. He raised his fist to get some momentum before bringing it down on the black lever. He flinched. With a horrible crunching sound, his nail was torn clean off of his finger. Blood pooled in the vacant nail bed. He instantly regretted any smart-mouth statement he'd said to anyone. He'd never do it again, he promised himself. He blinked tears out of his eyes and turned to Rem.

"Rem," he whimpered. He had to suck up at least, otherwise Ame could be in the same danger he was in. "I hope you can forgive me."

"Kid," Rem's voice was cold. "Are you going to back down now? Are you going to chicken out? Will I have to find someone braver to do this?"

"No!" Kid snapped at once. "I can do this. This doesn't hurt at all."

"Alright then. The next nail will be for Madness. You have it, yet you deny it."

Kid brought his fist down on the lever again. He bit his tongue. It hurt so much.

"I don't deny it," he said. "I am full of madness."

"Right," Rem nodded and folded her hands under her chin and rested her elbows on the table across from him. She was enjoying this. "Your third nail will signify your lies. You lied when you wrote that note to your friends. You weren't going to be home soon, were you?"

"No," Kid whispered. He felt pathetic. Rem smirked.

"Atone, sinner," she spat. Kid remained still and Rem raised her head. "Hesitating, are we? That will be your forth nail—disobedience."

"No more."

"Huh?"

"Please, no more," Kid whimpered. "Just do it to me yourself!"

"Don't make me bring Ame here," Rem growled. Kid cringed and turned back to the vile contraption.

He put his trembling ring finger in the metal bit. He raised his fist and brought it down. Unwanted tears blurred his vision and he missed the lever by one half inch. The metal rip slipped, only tearing the nail off halfway. Kid stared in horror at his mishap.

"Do it again," Rem commanded.

"I have to do it again?" he breathed. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "No! No! I can't do this anymore! Please just kill me already!"

Rem frowned. "You will pay a greater price for your cowardice."

Kid felt a familiar burning sensation in his eyes. He collapsed to his knees and put his free hand against his face.

"No!" he cried. "No, please! I'll do it, just don't!"

"It's too late for remorse," Rem sneered. She motioned to her wolf servant, who blindfolded Kid. Rem moved to stand next to Kid and put his nail in the rip. She put the trigger down and Kid let out a scream.

Soul Eater

Rem tied Kid's body to the center of a low horizontal beam in the middle of the room. His feet were an easy two feet from the ground. She tied his forearms securely, perhaps a bit too tightly, with old rope. The blindfold was still over his eyes; she didn't intend to take it off anytime soon. He'd been through so much already, and she had to tear off his finger nails so he wouldn't try clawing at his neck. Silly boy.

"Kiddo?" she murmured softly. "Can you hear my voice?"

Kid remained still. Rem became angry and slapped him sharply across the face.

"I'm talking to you!" she yelled. Kid gasped, raising his head immediately. Rem smiled. "I'm going to start again. First off, let's get you tied up."

Despite his already being tied up, Rem positioned an iron stake over the palm of Kid's right hand. Rem had a hammer in her other hand; raising it slightly, she brought it down forcefully on the head of the spike. Kid let out a gasp of pain.

"It looks like you're still half asleep," she noted, taking another spike in her hand. She put the tip against Kid's other hand. Kid whimpered, closing his eyes under the blindfold as the bones in his hand snapped. Rem smiled. "That's more like it."

Kid felt his shirt being torn from his chest roughly. Not only was this person sloppy, but she had no respect for his personal preference of symmetry.

"There, you're prepared," Rem said. "Now, this torture is simple—it's hardly even a torture, really. I'm going to cut you with these tools, and then you're going to scream as loud as you can for me to stop, okay?"

Kid swallowed hard, trying not to get sick. Fear sliced through him.

Kid felt a sharp object cut deeply into his wrist. He curled his fists around the stakes that bound them to the wood. The blade seared its way through the skin, overlapping the same areas repeatedly. Kid felt blood trickling from the vital artery once it was carved.

"Oh, and we must be symmetrical, correct?" Rem giggled.

Kid felt the same burning sensation on his opposite wrist. Curse his insolent tongue. He moaned in pain, throwing his head back and biting his lip. No, don't scream.

"There," Rem nodded to herself, tossing the old knife aside. Kid flinched as it crashed onto the table. He heard Rem shuffling a few things around before returning to her project.

Rem hacked at the center of his stomach with the hook-bill of a hatchet. A scream escaped him as she did so. She smiled and lifted the machete higher above her head, bringing it down harder. Blood splattered across her dress and face. Kid let out a full scream this time.

"If only I had a mirror," Rem sighed wistfully. "I'd love to call your daddy and make him watch this."

Kid flinched at the mention of his father.

Rem dragged her hand across the wound, trying to clear the excess blood away so she could see what she was doing. She smiled demonically, laughing slightly as she took in the severity of the wound. She stuck one hand inside the cut, eliciting another scream from her victim.

"I can rearrange your organs to be symmetrical, if you like," Rem volunteered.

"No! No—don't!" Kid shrieked. He felt a sharp, fiery pain in his side as Rem made several small cuts to his organs.

"Internal bleeding," Rem scoffed. "I don't know if I should regret that; I've never done it before, so I guess it was kind of sloppy."

"Sloppy?" Kid choked. "Everything you've done to me is sloppy!"

He instantly regretted his backtalk to her. He felt her grab a lock of his hair tightly and forced his head up.

"Watch what you say, you spoiled brat," Rem snarled, tucking the blade of her dissection tool under his chin. A small stream of blood rolled down the side of his neck from the small incision.

"Ame!" Kid prayed once. He recoiled and the other laughed.

Her laughter was cut short, however. Something didn't feel right. She turned back to her table, counting the tools. She frowned.

"Wolf!" she called. The Kishin wolf that had been standing guard outside quickly slunk into the dimly lit room. "Watch him; I'll be going out. By no means let him escape or be rescued, you understand?"

The wolf nodded. "Consider it done, Master."

Rem stole one last glance at her half-dead victim before taking her leave.

**Poor Kid :( He had to tear his fingernails off, then Rem drove metal nails through his fingers, then she stabbed him. But, there was one last important thing at the end. Kid's prayer. Didn't Ame say that all prayer is transferred to her?**


	27. Chapter 27

It had been two days since Kid was taken. Ame missed him and she was worried, but she tried to hide her concern like Lord Death did. He continued with his cheerful front so the students wouldn't get too upset. If they thought their leader was defenseless against this force, then madness would reign supreme over the school. But there were times even Lord Death was concerned about Ame's indifference.

"How can you sleep at a time like this?" Spirit asked her one day. Ame was curled up on her stomach, deep in slumber. Ame opened on eye, her golden one.

"I'm reserving my energy for when I need it," Ame replied. "Besides, there's nothing that much more productive to do now."

"Of course there is," Lord Death said. "You can go out and try to track Kid down yourself. I know you can."

Ame sniffed and opened her other eye, raising her head. "I'm waiting for the others to come with me. If they aren't there to bring me back… I fear I would keep Kid away from home."

"I guess you have a point; none of us were able to keep him safe," Lord Death sighed. Ame got to her feet, her tail waving slightly. She lifted her nose slightly, like she was giving him a reassuring nod.

"We'll find him," she insisted. Her green eye flashed once as her voice took a darker tone. "I already know where he is."

Ame's Revelation; Where Is Kid?

Ame… where are you?

Kid thought these words over and over again. Where was she? Why wasn't she here? He needed her. He needed his friends. All he saw was endless darkness. All he heard was a faint ring, often accompanied by his own screams. All he felt was pain.

He just wanted to go home.

"Ame, are you sure this is the right place?" Blackstar asked as Ame paused in front of an old shed. Ame sniffed the air again.

"She's right," Maka said. "I see Kid's soul in there somewhere, but it's very weak… like it's flickering."

Everyone was silent. Kid had been known for his virtual indestructability. He could withstand fatal wounds and defend himself in any duel, no matter how fair. Was Maka now telling them that Kid was near death?

"Come on," Ame said, urging her friends forward and transforming into a wolf. "The sooner we find him, the sooner he comes home."

The others nodded and followed, carrying their weapons, Liz wielding Patti. Maka took the lead, Blackstar covering her, with Ame on the side ready to interfere or run away, whichever fit the situation. Images of what they might find inside took hold of their minds as Maka reached for the rusty old lock. Even Ame was serious; the comforting madness was at an all-time minimal. Once Maka opened the door, they all stiffened. The smell was repulsive and horrid. It was the smell of blood. They strained to see in the room, but it was pitch black.

"Something's wrong," Ame whispered. "But there's so much blood in the air. I can't smell it. Maka, do you sense anything?"

Maka tried using her soul perception to navigate when she felt something altogether more threatening at the moment.

"Kishin," she barked.

A wild animal, a wolf possibly, leapt down from the rafters, perching on a low horizontal beam. It was bleeding, several cuts and scrapes on its body. No, not just cuts; it looked like chunks of its skin and flesh had been pulled from the bone, like something was progressively eating it. It looked like walking road kill.

"Come any closer and I'll kill him!" the wolf screeched. The meisters suddenly moved about very quickly, closing in on the Kishin at all sides. It was weak from the lost flesh and blood and was defeated with a single clash of blades. After a millisecond's debate, they decided Blackstar and Tsubaki should get the soul, since they had the least amount of souls.

Now that they were entirely in the large shed, they saw a small line of light coming from a door on the far wall. Another room was waiting for them. Hesitantly, the group made it to the double doors and entered, dreading what they would see. They expected several different outcomes, but they never expected what was inside to give them such a shock.

"Kid!" Liz shouted.

Kid was tightly bound by his arms to one of the low horizontal beams. Although ropes bound his forearms, two metal stakes were driven through his palms. A shade was over his eyes. A table with assorted scalpels and knives stood next to his mutilated body. Some of these instruments were unfamiliar to the students despite their constant dissection labs in school. Deep cuts covered Kid's entire body. He'd been stabbed in the stomach so many times that the blood pooling around his feet was at least a foot or so in diameter. His bare chest was covered in bruises, but he was still breathing faintly. Liz couldn't stand seeing her meister like this and promptly fainted.

Kid twitched and coughed up blood.

Ame was the first to react; she wanted to stay still longer or feint like Liz had, but she knew her friend needed her. Transforming again, Ame guided Rin to stand below the beam so she could easily lift herself onto the wood. She crawled skillfully to the center and positioned herself by Kid. Her tail extended at least three times its original length to drop over the edge of the beam and wrap securely around Kid's waist. Her white fur was soaked in blood instantly.

Ame yanked the first stake out of Kid's right hand. Kid twitch in pain, letting out a small noise of displeasure, but was otherwise nonresponsive. Ame repeated the step for the second stake and effortlessly cut the ropes with her teeth. She wrapped her arms around his to prevent him from falling. She didn't touch the shade; his eyes had been deprived of light for days, and it could damage them if she shocked them into the light now.

"Someone come take him from me," she ordered.

Blackstar and Soul complied, and Ame gradually lowered Kid's body down to the others' waiting hands. Kid stirred, groaning in pain.

"The Kishin did this to him," Soul growled. He wanted to bring the Kishin back to life and kill it again—slowly—to redress for the awful injuries covering Kid's body. Maybe it was Ame's vibe that kept him from doing it.

"I can carry him," Ame interrupted his sadistic thoughts. "Rin, run ahead. Make sure our way is clear. We can't afford a battle right now with Kid being as he is."

Soul Eater

Once at the DWMA, Kid was taken into surgery immediately. Liz and Patti couldn't bear to leave their meister at the academy overnight, so they waited in the hallway. Ame waited with them, sitting on the floor with her back against the wall and closing her eyes. She was asleep again, the stupid wolf. Liz and Patti soon settled across the hallway from her, but their souls were still extremely troubled by what had just happened.

"What if he never wakes up?" Liz thought. "What if he dies?! What will happen to Patti then? What would Ame do? He can't die! He has to live!"

"Sis?" Patti whispered, looking up at her said twin. Liz looked down at her; it was clear the younger sibling was on the verge of tears. "I-is Kid going to be okay?"

Liz wrapped her arms around Patti in a tight embrace, trying to calm her, to no avail.

"Yes, Patti, he's…" Liz bit her lip to keep from crying. "He's going to be fine, Patti, I swear…."

Ame looked at the crying pair, looking down either side of the hallway before crawling across to join the sisters. She wrapped her arms around them both reassuringly.

"It's going to be okay," she told them, drawing them close to her. "Kid's injuries are extreme, and his soul's out of shape, but the important thing is he's alive right now."

The other two gave into her madness and fell asleep in her embrace within the hour. Ame was merely waiting now, and she didn't expect there to be any trouble.

Meanwhile, Stein was trying his best not to kill Kid. The slightest slip of the scalpel could result in damage impossibly more fatal than that that had been already inflicted upon his body. He moved to Kid's arms and hands. Kid's arms were mildly scraped and burned from the tight restraints, but his hands were mutilated beyond belief. Stein frowned. He'd never seen a torture like this before.

"Ame, I need your help."

"What is it?" Ame walked in immediately, her keen hearing detecting his voice through the sound-proof walls.

"I need to remove the nails in Kid's fingers," Stein replied, keeping a steady gaze with her. Ame's blood ran cold and she ran to the bedside.

Kid's injuries were still deep and some still open, but they were clean for now. The hacking wound on Kid's stomach was wrapped in bloody gauze. Several tubes and needles were taped to his arms. Every so often, he would twitch or whimper in pain. What scared Ame the most were his hands. His fingernails were torn clean off. Several thin, metal nails were hammered straight through his finger joints.

"I don't know how to remove the nails without injuring him further," Stein said, turning the screw in his head. "Even if I was able to, I think you're the only one who can use healing techniques to make his hands functional again." He turned his head to face her. "Can you do it?"

Ame nodded, and Stein held a claw hammer out to her. Ignoring her curiosity as to where he got it, Ame pushed it away.

"You have to do it gently—slowly," she corrected. She turned back to Kid stole one last glance at his face before pulling the first needle out of his skin.

**Okay, just another author's note. It gets a bit graphic, so just skip to the next A/N if you want. Sorry about that -_-**

Kid gasped in pain; his throat was so raw that he couldn't even scream. He felt the pain in his hands flare up again—he'd been counting; how was it possible for her to drive even more nails in his hands?! Ame set the nail down on the metal tray beside her with a small clatter. She moved on to the next nail. She pinched the head of the thick pin carefully, slowly easing it out of its snug place in between Kid's bones. The metal burned and blistered her fingertips. She knew that yanking them out would bend the bones, possibly breaking them, and this would cause great pain for the victim.

That word didn't sound right associated with Kid. Victim?

**Read on!**

Kid inhaled sharply as Ame pulled the last nail out. She turned to him and touched his forehead. He pulsated once with the recognition of her energy. This warmth! It could only be the doing of a holy creature. Ame.

Once he'd calmed down some, Ame took his hands and ran her paintbrush in a small line on each finger. She did this to both of his hands, and the joints reconnected. She also drew in his fingernails so they grew back instantly. The process was utterly painless and actually provided a great sense of relief for Kid. Finally. She began wrapping his hands gently in gauze when she was finished. She recognized these tortures, but didn't know quite who would do something like this…. She entangled her fingers in his raven black hair, pulling back rather roughly. Kid flinched. Ame put her hand up to her nose carefully.

"Ame," Stein's voice snapped her out of her trance. "What is it?"

"Blood, drugs," she replied. "And something else… something bad."

"Is he going to be alright?" She nodded her head.

"I was just thinking," she replied. "Do you think it would be okay if I helped out a bit with taking care of him? I'm sure I could be a big help."

"I'm sure you could," Stein nodded. "I never even knew these kind of tortures existed, let alone how to treat them. But it seems you have a few secrets up your sleeves."

Ame narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

**Kid's back! I had to do a crap load of editing because, to be honest, the original version would have been taken down from the internet. Trust me. I was lucky with VW.**


	28. Chapter 28

Ame never left Kid's side. He slept well knowing she was there; she held his hands often, and whispered soft things to him when he had nightmares.

"He's sleep-deprived," Stein observed. "It's a good thing you were willing to stay. How were Liz and Patti?"

"Not good," Ame sighed. "They can't stand what's happened. I'm glad Soul and Maka were able to shelter them for the night, otherwise they would have never left."

"It's unfortunate," Stein said. "That they're tearing themselves up over this."

A Day to Heal; Ame's Brilliant Healing Methods?

"What are you doing?" Stein asked as Ame applied a thick salve to Kid's wounds.

"Healing his cuts," she replied. "His reaper powers already have a lot to heal, and I want to make this as easy for him as possible."

"You're amazing," Stein mumbled, watching the clever girl as she dressed his wounds. He glanced at the clock before grabbing a syringe off the desk. Ame put a hand over Kid and growled protectively.

"Back off, that won't do any good," she spat. "Gods can't accept medicine like humans."

"… Fine."

Ame's ears twitched as Kid stirred beneath her.

"You're awake," Ame said suddenly, looking at Kid.

"Where am I?" Kid whispered, opening his eyes groggily. His vision blurred, but he could tell he was out of that dark cell. His eyes forcused slightly to see Ame standing over him. "You're still all over me, I see. I'd tell you to get off, but I'm too tired right now."

Ame smirked, her tail wagging as she got off of him and reached for more medicine. Kid's eyes slid closed once more and he felt something warm wrap around him. Her tail.

"You're cold," Ame murmured.

"What's that smell?" he asked after a short pause, sniffing feebly.

"It's a remedy that I'm using to heal your wounds," Ame explained. "I made it myself. Do you like it?"

Kid's face relaxed in a small smile.

"It feels nice," he mumbled. Ame smiled and began humming absent mindedly as Kid nodded off to sleep. His body had been overwhelmed by the severity of his injuries and thus his grim reaper healing powers were slower than usual. He just needed some rest.

Ame put a hand over Kid's hand, examining his nails.

"Perfect balance, perfect order," she muttered. She looked at Kid's semi-peaceful face. Why would anyone do this to him? Why would they kidnap the son of Death and torture him if they didn't want anything from him? Surely not for fun; targeting Kid was too much of a coincidence. The entire sleepover scene was too carefully planned out in itself.

"She knew I was gone," she thought.

"Why did she stab his stomach and not his arms?" Ame continued. "Because there was something important to carve on each arm? Check. She could have stabbed his forearms. No, she would have cut the ropes. She could have moved the ropes." Ame scratched her head as she thought about this. "She wanted to stab his stomach for a reason. What reason? What was so intriguing about that area that she wasted good dissecting space?"

Her scratching got more and more rapid. Ame took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Why did she stab his stomach so many times?" Ame asked.

Another moment of thinking.

"To cover something up," Ame realized, opening her eyes. She looked at the bound wound. "To cover what? Poison?"

She was getting tired already, and she'd gotten nowhere. She knew whoever this was; she probably couldn't face without Kid and some serious brush techniques.

"If only I knew what happened to him," she thought.

"A-Ame!" Kid cried suddenly. Ame was on her feet, one hand gripping his and the other on his opposite shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked immediately. Kid relaxed drastically, sighing slightly.

"Nothing," he breathed, looking away from her. "It was just a dream…. Do you know what she meant by an 'immortal non-mortal'?"

"Immortal?" Ame asked. "Could it be trying to channel your immortality and use it for herself?"

"I'm scared, Ame," he whispered, his eyes searching hers for a moment. He reached up to brush some hair out of her face, pausing once to look at her green eye. "I'm sorry for hitting you."

Ame took his hand and set it down on the bed gently. That was the least of their worries now.

Soul Eater

"He needs to start eating soon," it was about time Ame started thinking about that. "The answer is… BREAD!"

"Don't be so hasty," Stein corrected. "Bread is too tough—he can't chew, remember?"

"Then I guess I'll have to improvise," Ame said, tweaking her ears.

Liz bought a loaf of bread as Ame instructed. Then she, Maka, and Patti gathered in the infirmary to see Kid.

Ame turned to Kid and began shaking him slightly. "Kid, wake up; you need to eat."

Kid moaned, not opening his eyes. His powers were at their peak; he was just too tired. Ame sighed. He was hungry, but he wasn't going to eat on his own. She turned to the loaf of bread Liz had bought from the store. The edges were brown and hard like a shell, but that didn't faze Ame. She boldly bit off a small bite.

"Hey!" Liz started. "I bought that for him, you know!"

She paused. What was Ame doing exactly? She was chewing an awful lot. Ame ground the bread into a thick pulp and bent down over Kid's limp body. She hesitated slightly; should she really be doing this in front of people? She pressed her lips against Kid's gently, forcing the pre-chewed mush into his mouth. Kid stiffened, as if to stop her, but relaxed again, accepting the food. Ame pulled away, keeping her eyes on Kid only. She definitely should have waited until the others had left. Why did she feel so… embarrassed? She bit off another chunk of bread and began chewing. Whatever.

Ame stopped abruptly when she realized Kid was crying. Thick streams of bittersweet tears ran down his cheeks. That was odd; what was wrong? Ame continued feeding him in the same manner. The others couldn't stand to watch, but they didn't really want to look away either.

"I thought you might try that," Stein spoke up quietly. "But I never thought you'd be bold enough to do it right here."

"That's how wolves feed each other, right?" Maka asked.

"Hey, sis?" Patti turned to her sister, who was watching the awkward scene before her with twitchy eyes. "Do you think this can count as their first kiss or not?"

"Um, Patti, I think that's up to them to decide," Liz muttered, covering her sister's eyes.

Ame tried her best to ignore them. She knew how much Kid was usually disgusted by her wolfish impulses, and he would most likely die if he ever found out what she was doing. But he was being a lot more patient with her lately; it was as if he could finally accept her for what she was.


	29. Chapter 29

Ame and Kid were curled up in a sea of madness. They were opposite to each other, so they seemed to form a human infinity sign. They weren't touching each other, except for their linked pinky fingers in the center of their formation. They were sleeping peacefully.

Kid opened his eyes, as did Ame. They weren't quite symmetrical, but something about their order was sufficient. Ame watched as Kid began leaning toward her. Had they not been literally swimming in a pool of madness, she would have been nervous. At least, she thought she would have felt nervous; don't humans get nervous at times like this*?

Their lips were only centimeters apart now. Ame half-closed her eyes and leaned forward, closing the distance. Just as their lips were about to touch, Kid coughed vehemently, and a fountain of blood rushed into Ame's mouth. She blinked in shock, staring at her still counterpart. His blood tasted different.

It was wolf's blood.

Equality; Can We Mate Now?

Ame woke up with a start. She looked at Kid, who was still sleeping peacefully. His appearance shocked her, as little had over the past few days.

Two fluffy black wolf ears appeared at the top of his head. A thick, furry tail peeked out from underneath the covers and wrapped around his body. Kid's face wasn't as narrow as before and his mouth was slightly ajar. Ame caught a glimpse of two pointed fangs. To her relief, his Lines of Sanzu were still intact. Of all this madness, only one thing truly disturbed Ame.

He was sleeping on his side! Usually, he'd lie flat on his back to maintain symmetry, but now that his spine had shifted to that of a canine, it wasn't comfortable to sleep on his back. This was… scary.

She gasped in horror, jerking to her feet and glancing nervously around the room for a minute. Kid was going to kill her for this! Somehow, he'll find a way to make it her fault like he always did! She had to explain to the others.

The others gathered in the infirmary at Ame's request.

"Alright, I know you're all going to be shocked to see this," Ame began. Lord Death, Spirit, Liz, Patti, Maka, Soul, Blackstar, and Tsubaki had all gathered in the infirmary to hear Ame's brilliant epiphany. Ame pulled the sheet back, revealing Kid's sleeping form. They all gasped upon seeing his ears and tail.

"What happened to him?!" Liz choked out.

"He's a wolf?!"

"Ame," Lord Death struggled to keep his voice even. "Tell us the meaning of this now."

Ame nodded. "I waited a long time to tell you anything, but I'm certain of the entire thing now. I'm still only guessing, but I have a feeling I'm right."

There was a small pause as they all mentally prepared themselves for what they were about to hear.

"The first rule of torture is if you want to drive your victim insane, work from the inside out. Start with the mind," she tapped her temple. "She started by force feeding him wolf's blood to rearrange his system. Then torture him to bend his point of view."

"What's your scenario?" Spirit asked.

"I think that they force-fed him wolf's blood and black blood to alter his genetic bloodstream. After that, the torture began. This torture wasn't for any form of compliancy; she wanted nothing from Kid. These tortures were designated for crime and punishment. Tearing off the fingernails, then driving nails through his hands, then dissection. She was careful; she wanted him alive."

Liz swallowed the bile rising in her throat.

"Why did his captor want him alive?" Maka asked, being the sharpest among the humans as always.

"She wanted to make what wasn't immortal, immortal. This poison was the final stimulation to convert Kid's genes from human to wolf. I still don't know why she did this, but I'm sure it was to make Death a wolf like me."

"So he's still a Shinigami?" Lord Death asked. Ame nodded.

"He's just in a wolf's body. I guess it was my fault for feeding him like that the other day, but it all makes sense now. She blindfolded him so his eyes could develop as wolf eyes. A wolf's eyes need to be closed for a long amount of time after birth to ensure keen sight. Kid's eyes are now wolf's eyes."

"So he's going to be alright?"

"Of course," Ame nodded. "But there's one more thing. Since I'm clearly the specialist with wolves, I think it's best if you leave the healing to me."

"Knock yourself out, but we still have standards," Stein interrupted. Ame ignored him.

"He should be waking up soon."

Just as she said this, Kid tensed. He opened his black and golden wolf eyes and sat up. His tail raised slightly and he scratched behind one ear. Wait… ear? Kid glanced at his reflection in the mirror in the corner. His eyes were wide and glistening with apprehension. He wrapped his tail around himself self-consciously, half hiding behind it. He looked extremely cute and childish. He looked at Ame's face; he was too afraid to look her in the eye now.

"What happened to me?" he whispered.

Soul Eater

"What happened to me?" he realized his voice had changed too; his tone was slightly deeper, like a wolf growl, but still thin and accented, maintaining much of his previous voice.

No one quite knew what to say. They stood there, staring at him. he turned to glare at Ame.

"What the hell did you do?"

"No freaking way!" Ame spat. "I didn't do crap to you!"

"Then why the hell am I sporting this?!" he motioned to his tail, which was shaking in the air beside him.

"You look great," Soul interjected, half lying.

"Oh really?" Kid muttered.

"Well…" Tsubaki turned her head to the side slightly. Kid mimicked her.

"Are they a-symmetrical?" he asked in fear, his hands flying to his new ears. They were extremely fluffy and plushy like Ame's.

"Not that I can tell," Tsubaki replied. "It's just that…."

"I didn't think you could ever look so cute!" Patti laughed.

"I don't do cute," Kid whined and pulled the covers over his head.

"Aw, come on, Kid!" Liz giggled. "Don't be like that. We were only teasing. Come on, let us see you."

"I don't want to," Kid's voice was muffled through the sheet. Spirit lost it.

"You're so adorable!" he squealed like a fangirl, lunging forward and wrapping Kid in a tight hug. Kid began struggling desperately, a mask of fear on his face.

"Hey, what the heck are you doing? Let me go! I don't want you to—"

"Maka CHOP!"

"Reaper CHOP!"

"Stay away from my son," Lord Death warned. "Can't you see he's a little freaked out right now, and you should leave him alone?"

However, Kid took the news surprisingly well; no freak-outs or anything like that. He was still hesitant; something about the entire thing felt slightly wrong. He couldn't wait to heal and be back on his feet.

Stein was just about to unhook the last IV from Kid's arm when Kid awoke. He appeared to be sleeping, but the touch of the needle awakened him roughly. He lunged off the bed toward Stein, wrapping his teeth around Stein's hand.

He couldn't keep it up for long. The sudden pain in his body overwhelmed him and he collapsed, panting. He opened one wolf eye and stared at Stein. He found he was having trouble communicating. It was as if he couldn't think of words to speak his thoughts. He was soon able to translate his foreign body language.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But don't try that again."

Later, Ame was staring out the window late into the night. A wolf for a Shinigami? That didn't sound right. It wasn't right. She didn't know whether to fix it or to accept it. Although… Kid wouldn't accept her because she was a wolf and he wasn't. Now they were both wolves. Would he… accept her now?

"Ame?" Kid asked softly.

"What is it?" Ame turned to face him. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah," Kid nodded slightly. "I'm just… this is a big change, you know? I don't even know anything about wolves."

"Well, for starters, we aren't like all the stories say—big, scary, or even bad. Because humans have become so reserved towards each other, a wolf's sense of unrestrained physical contact may seem overwhelming, but it's all regular. We don't need words to communicate; a simple touch, a simple motion, everything means something. It's also our sixth sense that helps us detect the soul wavelength and moods of others. Our eyes are closed when we are born so they can develop. Do you sense any difference between your wolf eyes and your normal Shinigami eyes?"

Kid thought about it. Now that he paid attention, there was something off about the color and shape of everything. It was different.

"Yes. Aren't wolf eyes made to see in the dark?"

"Correct," Ame nodded. "The dark shadows in your irises reflect or accept extra light. Second, our ears. They were made to hear great distances and detect any lies. I think you'll find out a few extra things along the way," she gave a wolfish wink.

"My teeth are different too," Kid said. "Sharper. More spread out in the back."

"And your nails are sturdier too," Ame said. "Made for hunting. It's disgusting to see wolves being domesticated by humans—fed shredded processed pellets of god-knows-what. I never want you eating out of a human's hand, got it?" she flashed her teeth.

"Got it," Kid nodded. He was too new to this whole wolf thing. What if he screwed up again and hurt someone besides Stein? Like Liz or Patti? Even so, he understood he had pride to hold up. No stealing food either. "Um… what do I do about this?" he held up his black tail. "I can't let the kids at school see."

"Your features are like mine," Ame stroked her tail as she said this. "Normal people can't see them. You shouldn't have any trouble outside the house. Such a shame that you don't appreciate your tail like I do mine. It's strange actually, such a jewel of fluffy pride. By the way, how are you feeling?"

"I feel great," Kid replied, giving her a smile. "Thanks for getting me out of that place, and then taking care of me like that…. I guess I realize how much I really need you guys."

"What are teammates for?" Ame said, not taking her eyes off her tail. "We're your pack Kid. Never forget that."

***Alright, let me spell this out for you. They were about to KISS! And they missed :(**


	30. Chapter 30

When Kid woke up, he was tired and uncomfortable. He glanced to his bedside, surprised when Ame wasn't there. He sat upright, ignoring the pain, and looked around the room. Stein was sitting at his desk, grading papers.

"Where's Ame?" Kid asked in a whisper. He felt more secure in the presence of another wolf.

"She's gone," Stein replied. "No one knows where she went. How do you feel?"

Kid looked down, considering it. He felt terrible, but if he said that, he would definitely earn more time in the hospital wing. He hated staying here all the time. He avoided the question all together.

"I want to go home."

Stein looked up.

"Alright," he said, getting to his feet. "I'll let you go home if you can walk from the bed to the door and back."

"I'm making a deal with Satan," Kid thought. However, he complied, throwing his feet over the side of the bed and standing upright. How hard could this be? He was a reaper, after all, and a wolf—his wounds were practically healed already.

The First Night Back; A New World?

Pain shot through him and he grimaced. This wasn't the time to seem weak. He hesitantly put one foot forward and collapsed. One hand was braced against the ground; the other was gripping his stomach. He threw up a small amount of blood. The stitches were gone, but the internal damage was still there, he could feel it. His ears were flat against his skull, his tail tucked in submission.

"It's probably too soon for this," Stein thought as he watched Kid. "His internal injuries haven't had enough time to heal. Ever since the two met, no, before that—ever since Kid went blind, he's had more and more issues with his self-esteem. He needs to find strength in himself again. I'm not sure if being a wolf will help him at all."

"I'm worthless," Kid thought bitterly, trying to hold back tears. "I know that Ame is stronger than me. Who was I kidding? I can't even outrun her, let alone keep up with my own expectations. What was I thinking? I can't do this. I'm just selfish, disgusting garbage. I don't deserve to live anymore."

Kid felt something next to him and looked up. It was Ame in her wolf form. She leaned against his shoulder, urging him to his feet again. Kid put an appreciative hand against her furry neck and stood up. With her help, he was able to walk the eight steps to the doorframe. Kid fell against the wood gratefully, panting.

"Come on, Kid, we're not done yet."

He opened his eyes and followed Ame's orders. He took a few more steps forward when more intense agony overwhelmed him. He faltered, sinking to his knees and pressing both hands against his stomach. It hurt so much.

"Just let me die," Kid thought desperately.

"Come on, Kid," another voice urged. Kid looked up to see Liz and Patti grabbing either of his arms and helping him to his feet again. Ame forced her nose under his elbow. Kid buried his teary face in her soft white coat. It wasn't that he was weak; he just needed the help of someone else. He was a pack animal now. They were always there for him, weren't they?

Kid laid down again and Ame shifted to human form to start packing his stuff. Stein frowned.

"That was a sly trick, Ame," he said.

"He did what you asked him to," Ame snapped back. "Now fulfill your half of the bargain."

Kid slept the entire way home. Ame, despite her miniscule frame, was strong enough to carry him to bed with the help of Liz and Patti. Kid wasn't disturbed; he only rolled onto his side and snatched a pillow to cuddle with. He hugged it greedily to his chest, leaning down to bite it sleepily. His tail waved once. Liz thought it was so cute that she covered her mouth to abstain from laughing. It was weird seeing Kid like this.

"Is that normal?" she asked Ame, who bobbed her head.

"For the next few days, imagine him like a puppy," Ame instructed. The other two complied, imagining Kid as a little back wolf pup chasing leaves and yapping playfully as he did so. "He has little control over his wolfish impulses since he's new to the entire wolf thing. Teething, wild barking, misread signals and mere confusion are common qualities for young cubs. Since his body, soul and mind are mature, it'll only take a few days to teach him the ways of a wolf. Then he should be as self-controlled as me."

"I already have my doubts," Liz muttered. She sighed and looked at Kid. "I'm still so happy that he's home. I don't want to leave his side."

"Hey, here's an idea," Patti squeaked. "Why don't we all sleep in Kid's room with him? Then we won't have to leave his side!"

"He now has the body to kill me," Ame muttered, considering it. "If he finds out that I did this, he'd tear me to shreds. However, I like the idea. I'm blaming Patti."

With that the three changed into their pajamas before joining Kid. Since Kid wasn't symmetrical, one side of the bed offered more space than the other. Ame took the smaller end and the sisters took the wider side. It was a tight fit, but still comfortable in a strange way.

"Hey, there are only four pillows," Liz noticed. She and Patti each had one, and Kid had two—one to cuddle with. "Ame, do you want mine? Patti and I can share."

"That's unhealthy," Ame said. "I'll be fine. I'll hit the light."

She moved, reaching for the light, when Kid stirred. He threw the pillow aside and Ame only had the time to catch it before Kid's hands were wrapped around her waist. He pulled her close, his iron grip almost suffocating. Ame made a small choked squeal at the back of her throat, and the sisters looked up. Patti began snickering quietly and Liz smiled. They looked so cute.

"Uhm, Liz?" Ame blushed and looked down. "Can you hit the light for me?"

"Sure," Liz nodded. Once in the dark, Ame looked at the pillow she had ninjatically rescued. At least she had a pillow. Hm, maybe she could smother him with it until he loosened his grip.

"Nah," Ame flung the pillow under her head and drifted off to sleep.

Soul Eater

Kid woke up at about nine, the sun dripping through his curtains pestering his eyes open.

Kid sat up; he was alone, and he felt better. He lifted his shirt slightly, staring at his abdomen expectantly. Surely enough, the scars were gone, leaving his skin pale and flawless. He was still thin from not eating for days, but that could be taken care of. Kid glanced at the clock and stretched, figuring it was too late to go to school anyway. He drew back short when he felt extreme pain in his stomach again, but this time it wasn't because of his wounds. He was starving. He lifted his head, his ears twitching and trying to detect if there was any life in the house. He could sense Liz, Patti, and Ame downstairs. He sighed. Was this how things should be?

No. This was all wrong. If his Shinigami side dictated it to be immoral, then why did Kid feel so… content? He curled up and put his chin on his knees, pondering. Was he stuck like this? Will being a wolf affect his relationships and abilities? Will he always be this impetuous wreck of confused signals and miscommunication? He hated the thought.

He heard a soft knock on his door before Ame walked in. She had a tray in hand, and upon smelling it, Kid's mouth was watering. Ame looked up at him and let out a small laugh. Kid self-consciously wiped the corners of his mouth on his sleeve. Now he was drooling in front of Ame. Honestly, had he no manners? At least she, as a wolf, understood.

"Hungry?" Ame asked.

"Yes," Kid nodded fervently. Ame put the tray on his lap.

"Eat up."

Fresh venison pot roast with fresh vegetables. Yum. Kid devoured the meal ravenously. He swore he'd never go off at Ame about piggishness again.

"So I guess things are going to be different from now on?" Kid asked.

"Definitely," Ame nodded. "I'm not sure how your father feels about it, though."

"Yeah," Kid laughed. "I can just imagine his expression when he saw me…. Ame?" his voice grew quiet. "Do you think Father will like this at all?"

Ame was quiet for a moment before she smiled and said. "It doesn't matter what form you take; he'll always love you just the same."

Kid had a nagging feeling that she was avoiding his question.

"By the way, did you have any odd dreams?" Ame asked.

"Yeah, I think," Kid thought about it as he continued to eat. "You weren't there, but everyone else was. Let's see… Soul became a death scythe; that I remember. Blackstar fulfilled his destiny and defeat Mifune, but the academy took care of Angela. Um… I remember I decided to get over my love of symmetry. Can you believe that?"

Ame gasped, her ears rippling with rage. Kid noticed the sudden change in atmosphere and cringed.

"Ame is something wrong?" he asked. Ame tried to calm herself. Her eyes narrowed and her ears relaxed.

"Everything's fine," she said. She'd have to tell Lord Death about this as soon as possible. If Kid had that weird dream too, then… could this really be the Inochigami that Lord Death expelled from Kid's body all those years ago? Could Kid now have a certain sense of what happened?

**SUPER IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE!** **I understand that that last bit didn't make any sense. The thing is, I wrote a chapter where there was a flashback of Kid getting sick and having a vision of the future. Unfortunately, this chapter was accidentally destroyed. Basically, Kid was seeing prophecies like an Inochigami; this was because his body recognized Ame's absence and tried to fill it up himself, kind of like when there's a gap in your teeth and the other teeth move around to try and fix it. Anyway, Lord Death knew that the idea of an ultimate being—an Inochigami and Shinigami in one being—was dangerous, so he tore that one little Inochigami fragment out of Kid and expelled it to a different place.**

** And that 'weird dream' was also referred to in the 14****th**** chapter when Lord Death was telling Ame goodbye for the last time.**


	31. Chapter 31

"The house is in perfect order," Kid confirmed. "Now it's off to school. I don't want the other students catching on as long as they can't see my ears and tail. I'll need to be reserved, but act natural. As for the others… they already know, so I need to act as civilized as possible. Let's see…." He mentally considered what little expression of wolf emotion he knew. "I can't have my ears forward too much, otherwise I might seem proud or aggressive; having my ears down would be submission, but I shouldn't just walk around with my tail between my legs."—haha literally—"So… um…."

Kid looked to Ame for reference. She stuffed his longest coat in his hands and tucked her nose under his chin.

"Keep your ears parted and your tail hanging with the tip up—it's a stationary position for casual or middle-class wolves," she instructed. Kid sniffed her hair once in regard before turning his back.

"Come on, Liz, Patti," he said. "Let's go now."

"Bout time," Liz mumbled with a sigh. "You've been obsessing about your form of expression all morning."

"Hey, as long as I can maintain symmetry, I'm happy!"

The others seemed happy to see Kid back on his feet and at school, no less. Maka and Tsubaki almost smothered him with hugs of relief. Kid refrained from biting them until he was released.

"Hey, Kid," Soul greeted. "How's life as a wolf?"

Kid wanted to hide. He didn't know why being a canine made him so self-conscious.

"Fine," he lied quickly. "I swear I'm never going to bug Ame about her inexhaustible gluttony again."

"What?"

Wolf's Curse; Eventful Day Back, As A Wolf?

At lunch, they saw what he meant by gluttony. Ame had packed a wolf's deepest desires for Kid's lunch that day. The giant bento box she'd always packed for him finally went without leftovers. Kid's cravings were like hers; hot, bloody meat, and a few root vegetables if he had to have any. Kid tried to be polite since he was in the presence of others; surely his friends didn't want to see him devour the unusually large meal, and the other students would catch on if they saw him behaving like that. He didn't want them to know about any of this.

"Well, class," Professor Stein began that afternoon in Biology class. "I've given today's plans a lot of thought and I figured that to celebrate Kid's return, we could do a special dissection today."

Great. Was Stein trying to be funny or experimenting with Kid's self-control? Well, Kid was positive he wouldn't fall for that. So he thought. Stein put a dead rabbit on his desk next and Kid tensed, overwhelmed by a vile stench. His hands flew to his nose instinctually. The scent burned his nose and made his eyes water—what was that? It probably didn't help that he was sitting in the very front row. After a moment, he realized the smell was the preservative substances preventing the carcass from decaying. Kid folded over, one hand sliding down his face to cover his mouth, the other reaching out to tug Liz's sleeve feebly.

"Kid, is something wrong?" she whispered immediately.

"Liz, I'm going to be sick," Kid whispered back. "I need to get out of here."

Liz nodded seriously and stood up. "Professor Stein, I have to take Kid to the nurse's office."

"Then do so," Stein sighed. "Such a shame."

Once at the infirmary, Kid collapsed on one of the beds; he doubled over so far that his head was in his lap. His nausea had worsened considerably. He put his head on his knees and let his arms wrap around his legs. He felt horrible. Liz put a bucket in between his ankles and sat down next to him, rubbing soothing circles on his back. Kid threw up once or twice.

"You got really sick, huh?" Liz murmured. "It's alright. I'm sure you'll feel better in a little while."

Kid cursed under his breath as he became sick again. "I hate this."

"I know," Liz said in a soothing voice. "It's no fun being sick."

"Did the formaldehyde get to him?" Naigus asked, walking into the room.

"I'm not sure," Liz replied. "He just paled all of a sudden and told me to bring him here."

"It tasted terrible," Kid rasped. Liz blinked, confused.

"It wasn't the rabbit?" she asked, thinking he got sick from seeing a dead animal. Now that she considered it, it did seem silly.

"That's right," Naigus understood. "Wolves taste through scent, don't they?"

Kid's head shot up, he momentarily forgot his current state. His tail was sticking straight out and his ears sticking straight up. "You know?!"

"Of course," Naigus nodded. "The entire staff does."

"Why?" Why would everyone know something like that?

"Just in case something like this happened, Lord Death wanted to make sure you would be taken care of properly. Speaking of which, here." She handed him a cup of steaming hot tea. "Ame brought a remedy here a little before lunch. She had a feeling you might need it."

"Thoughtful Ame," Kid sighed, taking the drink without hesitation. He sipped at it feebly, not wanting to upset his stomach further, but eagerly. Anything to get this taste out of his mouth. The mixture of spices was dull and soothing. It felt nice as it went down. Kid slowly finished the drink and felt better almost immediately.

"Such a waste of a good meal," he thought bitterly.

Soul Eater

He felt well enough to return to class the next period. He'd been abducted, held hostage for days, and not to mention the recovery time. Make-up work was an immediate must. Maka came home with the trio, offering to help with the materials. Kid gladly accepted; maybe she could help him focus on something besides the letters.

"It was mostly review for the first few days," Maka began.

Fun Fact: Stein stopped in the middle of a chapter to give the students a lot of review and pop quizzes. He actually did this with Kid in mind, hoping Kid wouldn't have a ton of work to do when he returned

"Since then, I've made a bunch of notes," Maka held out a plain red notebook. "You can borrow them to study for the upcoming test."

Another Fun Fact: Maka took a lot of notes with Kid in mind, hoping he wouldn't have to learn all the materials himself once he returned. She also used a brand-new, collage-ruled notebook and typed the notes every day so he wouldn't be distracted by improper alignment or asymmetrical features.

"Er… thanks," Kid took the notebook. Was she always this nice? Maybe it was his wolf-sense that created some awkward perception to other people. "Let's get studying." He looked at the first page. Maka sweat-dropped as he began writing his name.

"The work will take hours by itself," Maka thought. "He's so worried about the symmetry. Maybe I could use a few tricks to speed him up a bit—be cunning like Ame. Hmm… maybe if I talk really fast, he'll feel overwhelmed and start writing faster so as to record everything I say. He wouldn't want to be rude by ignoring me or forgetting, right?"

With a deep breath, she put this plan into action. She babbled quickly about all the material she'd memorized from the textbook, pausing to take a breath before continuing again.

"Kid, are you listening? Do you have all this down?"

He was still trying to write his name. Maka glanced at the clock. Her lecture only took fifteen minutes. If only Stein could work like that.

"Kid, could you move on to something else, please?" Maka asked. Kid tensed. He knew he was getting on her nerves. He didn't want to be hated, which was odd. He sketched in the last letter to his name quickly and glanced at the question. He was suddenly wary; he didn't hear a word she'd said!

Wait… he knew this one. And the next one. And all the others. His mind was computing the answers so fast that he scribbled the answers down rather sloppily compared to how he normally worked to get all the answers down before he forgot. Maka stared at him in disbelief. He was working impossibly fast!

"What a nice sound," Kid thought, his tail fluttering from side to side happily.

_Scratch, scratch, scratch…_

"Ame!" Maka called. She turned around again to see Ame staring over Kid's shoulder. She was moving her fingers slightly, as if she wanted a turn. "What's going on?"

"Everyone does it in Yominaku*," she explained. "I know all this stuff. He probably likes the clicking noise his pen makes against the paper."

"You mean you can do that too?" Maka asked.

"Yeah, why—?"

"You have to show me how!" she demanded, latching onto Ame's collar.

"Okay, okay!"

Ame grabbed some paper, sketching a few instructions on a sheet of unlined paper.

_Scratch, scratch, scratch!_

Ame held up the paper with her answer. It wasn't comprehendible at all; it appeared to be some kind of four-year-old's drawing with a lot of scribbles and pictures.

"Ah, I see… it's a jumble of scribbles," Maka sweat-dropped again. "Kid, can you help me out here?" He once thought like a human. He'd be able to translate, right?

Kid repeated the process that she did and held his paper up by the top corners. It was a collection of swirls and dots like Ame's, but they all had an exact parallel, making his version symmetrical.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" Maka screamed, clawing at her hair. Kid returned to his work.

_ Scrathcscratchscratchscratchscratch Scrathcscratchscratchscratchscratch_

He was writing more intently now, going through the stack of pages so fast that Ame and Maka had to gather them from where they were airborne about the room after Kid's use. His grip on the number two lead pencil tightened with every stroke, as if he expected it to fly out of his hands. His fingertips were sore, but that didn't stop him. Scratch, scratch, scratch.

Then the impossible happened. The pencil he was holding snapped clean in half. Kid stared at the object in horror as the two main pieces flew to different sides of his desk.

The pencil broke, shattered. Kid stared at the two pieces in disbelief for a second. He was trembling slightly.

"Um… would you like to borrow mine?" Maka offered her mechanical pencil with the bear on the end, half hoping he'd decline. Kid didn't answer.

"I… I'm repulsive," Kid whispered.

"Here we go," Ame sighed. Kid threw himself to the floor, sobbing. His tail swung from side to side in a self-degrading fashion.

"I'm a worthless dog! Even if I had to break a pencil in half, why can't I have the decency to break it into two equal pieces? Why, Father, why?! WHY DID YOU MAKE ME LIKE THIS?!"

"Ah," Ame sighed. "Blaming the parents. That's a new one."

***Copyrighted. It's mine, I created it, you use it, you die. Yominaku is a fictional realm in a non-fanfiction book that I'm writing. It is a realm for spirits. Its name is created with the two Japanese words 'Yomi' which translates to 'underworld' and 'naku' which could translate to the cry of a loud animal like a wolf howl or a cicada's cry. It can also be written as 'scream.' The name literally means 'Underwold's Scream.' I actually recycled Ame and renamed her 'Ikkinada' to be the god of that realm. It's a sweet romance much like this story, so if you're interested, I can exchange a few PMs with you. :)**


	32. Chapter 32

"You've done enough, Kid. Why don't we take a break? I want to show you something outside."

Kid got her hint immediately. He bolted to his feet, ears up in a sign of alertness. She was going to take him to the forest!

A Wolf's World; Kid's Training?

"Are we going to start my training?" he asked after Maka left.

"No, we're going to paint watercolor landscapes," Ame replied sarcastically.

"Smart ass," Kid muttered.

"You should check in with your father first," Ame said. Kid was confused, but complied. Lord Death probably just wanted to be in the know with their activity.

Kid waited for Lord Death's figure to appear in the mirror.

"Heya, Kiddo!" he greeted.

"Hi," Kid replied shortly. Why did he suddenly feel kind of ticked off?

"Off with Ame, are you?" Lord Death asked. "Did you finish your homework?"

Kid sighed. "Yes, of course I did. I think I acquired some kind of special power or something—I wrote too fast." He held up one page of his make-up work. Lord Death examined it closely for a second.

"That 'k' is off the center," he remarked. Kid fell to the ground.

"I'm useless. No matter what I do, I can never get that"—AKB48 XD—"K!"

"Language, Kid!" Ame reminded lightly from the other room.

"Uh, Kid, I'm not quite comfortable with you going out with Ame like this."

"Why not?" Kid raised his head. "We've been out in the forest together before, and I'll be back by tonight."

"Back then, you weren't a wolf," Lord Death continued. "And you didn't know her that well. Now that you two see eye to eye, I'm worried about you two taking things to… new levels."

Kid's nose began to bleed slightly. How embarrassing. And even as a wolf, he still looked like a pervert. Kid got to his feet and wiped at the blood hastily.

"Oh, please," he muttered. "I could never do something so intimate with such an asymmetrical—"

"Oh, please," Lord Death echoed. "We all know you're way past that, Kid."

"It's not like we're going to be alone or anything," he still really wanted to go, so he tried defending his own case. "There will be other wolves."

"Are you going to pull that infamous 'it's not a real date, it's hanging out with a group' line?"

"Okay, I'm leaving now!" Kid announced, turning away from the mirror.

"I heard you were sick today, that's unfortunate," Lord Death interjected. Kid turned back to face him, the twinge of anger returning. "I should have checked on you when I heard."

"Then why didn't you? We were in the same building."

Kid stopped talking as soon as the words left his mouth.

_**This first nail will be for your smart mouth. Now do it.**_

_** No….**_

_** Atone, sinner.**_

Kid put his hands over his mouth, his ears were lying flat against his skull and his tail was tucked between his knees. He was trembling with fear. What had he just done?

"I-I'm sorry," he apologized at once. "I didn't—I don't know what got into me. I shouldn't have said that to you."

"It's no problem, Kid!" Lord Death lied in his usual cheery voice. "Have fun with Ame."

Ame crossed the river. She looked back at Kid, who hesitated for a moment before leaping across the wide river after her. Ame held a hand out to steady him.

"We should be safe here," she said. "Kid, I want you to forget all the stress you've been under lately. It doesn't matter if it's wrong or not. Just trust me."

Kid nodded.

Ame shifted to wolf form and looked expectantly at him. It wasn't long before he felt his hands transform into paws. He lowered himself to stand on four legs, looking up at Ame again. She blinked at him.

"Good," she praised. "Now, I want to show you what a wolf can do. Come with me if you want to live."

She began bolting through the brush, and Kid soon followed.

Soul Eater

"I want to show you want a wolf can do," Ame said, bolting through the brush. Kid followed at a dead run. He felt such power in this new body. He kept up with her effortlessly, whilst when he was only human, Nagi told him he was too slow. Kid raced through the trees, not afraid of the spiders or the wild plants. It felt good to run, especially after being trapped in the hospital. He felt free. Was this how all wolves felt? He ran up beside Ame.

"How do you like it?" she asked.

"This is amazing!" Kid exclaimed. Ame laughed.

"Come on," she said, nudging his shoulder. "Now you can know all my secrets."

Ame led Kid to a secluded glade. They both sat parallel to each other. Kid was highly distracted from what he saw in the forest; there was so much life gone cruelly unnoticed by his human eyes. He was currently staring at a butterfly that had landed on his nose when Ame cleared her throat. Kid snapped to attention.

"To begin, do you remember all those lessons and lectures you gave me about how to act civilized around humans?" Ame questioned. Kid nodded hesitantly, remembering all the times he nagged her. She was getting her revenge now. "Well, now I'm going to give you a lecture about how to be civilized as a wolf. Don't worry, though; my presentation will be much more interesting."

"Hey! I wasn't boring!"

"Because I have illustrations*!"

She pulled a spiral notepad out of her bag. She opened it to the first page. It was a poorly done picture of Kid. He didn't have his wolf ears and tail.

"You are a wolf now," she began. It sounded like she was speaking to young children, but Kid went with it. She was kind of cute when she played mother. "Other people don't know this, so they see you as a normal boy. If you were to transform in front of them, they'd be shocked." She flipped to a page with a collection of people who indeed looked shocked. "They'd be afraid of you. So, this will be our little secret, okay?" Back to the first picture.

"I get that part," Kid said. "How do I behave normally? I understand the whole wolf-thing right away, but I don't know where to begin being civilized around humans. You do it better than me. _You_."

"Then, firstly," Ame turned to a page with a bunch of forest animals. "If you run into one of these animals, don't behave too self-importantly." She turned to a page with Kid looking arrogant. "This same rule applies with humans. The wolf is a good being, but it's best not to be proud."

"But you act proud all the time," Kid said. "Why can't I?"

"Because it would make your father very sad." She turned to a final page with a picture of Lord Death with a tear drop.

Part Two: Domestic Signals

Ame then began reviewing different signals with Kid in the cave.

"Be civilized, graceful, but don't be afraid to let them have it if they ask for it." She lowered the notebook to reveal two wolves outside the cave. "Now try it out."

Nagi and Rin were standing in front of them, waiting. Ame nodded to Kid, who stepped forward unsurely. What if he screwed it up? Just be assertive. No—be who you are. He raised his head and rammed his ears forward, raising his tail slightly. Nagi growled and lunged for Kid's throat. Kid struggled under Nagi's death grip until Ame broke it up.

"Stop it," she snapped. Nagi sat up casually and began scratching behind his ear.

"Just having a little brotherly spar, right?" he asked Kid, who flinched.

"How is it a brotherly spar if you're threatening my life?!"

"Well, to finish off this special," Ame announced. "We're going on an elk hunt. Come on."

They found a herd of deer not too far from the den. The two wolves concealed themselves in the bushes as the deer grazed obliviously.

"It's easier to single one out," Ame whispered. "Usually, we'd go for the weak or old, but this herd seems fairly populated. Which one do you want to get?"

"That one," Kid pointed his muzzle in the direction of a large buck. Ame squinted at his target.

"Why that one?" there was a much bigger one over there.

"Because…" Kid's fur frizzed out. "That one's antlers are symmetrical."

"You're a wolf and you're still insane!" Ame barked. "But fine, whatever you want. Since you don't have claws, you need to use your teeth. Go for the throat and don't let go until the body stops shaking."

Kid nodded. He'd had enough combat practice to know how to kill something.

"And be careful—their hooves are heavier than they look. One solid hit and you'd be out. Any questions?"

A million, but Kid held his tongue.

"Ready?"

Kid was shaking. He just had to run at it and bite it, right?"

"Go!" Ame snapped. Kid lunged out of the bushes with her. Kid went straight for the deer at hand whilst Ame herded the others away. Kid charged the deer at impossible speeds. He easily outran the deer, swung around, and nipped at its shoulder. It reared, and Kid had to dive pretty low to avoid being hit. He was scared, thinking about the first he met Ame. Two wolves were about to fight over his body when she stepped in. Kid didn't think anymore; he just acted out of instinct. He snapped upwards, clenching his jaws around the elk's neck. He crushed it instantly and the deer fell to the ground, dead. Kid couldn't help himself; he threw his head back and let out a wild howl.

He drew back short. He totally lost it; this wasn't control at all!

"S-sorry," he immediately apologized for the noise he made. Ame laughed.

"You're supposed to do that when you hunt; there's no shame in it," she said. "We all do that, right?"

She let her head dip back and let out a small howl. She saved her cries for the moon. Nagi and Rin mimicked her, and Kid soon joined in. Howling was like singing; full and felt by all. He never knew such joy or beauty before.

"Let's eat!"

He was hungry, but he wasn't sure about eating it raw. He eyed the deer self-consciously and lowered his head to tear off a small slice of flesh from the elk's shoulder. Not as bad as he thought. It was nice and warm, and the blood tasted so good.

"This whole wolf thing could work out, huh?" Ame snickered. Kid let out a small growled and jumped at her from across the carcass.

Kid and Ame were in Kid's room, still wound up and talking long after midnight.

"So, what do wolves do at night?" he asked, taking a sliver of the beef jerky Ame offered him in his fangs. Ame shrugged and tore a piece in half with her teeth.

"It's no special time, really. No rituals, just free time. We can spend it alone, or with the people we love. It's a hard decision sometimes."

Kid thought about the time of Asura's madness. He remembered often debating—fighting—with himself over which to do. Spend his time alone planning to make a difference in this war or spend it frivolously with his friends. He returned his attention to Ame.

"When do we go to sleep?"

"When we're tired," Ame said. Kid growled and reached for another slice of meat. Excalibur on steroids. Now that she mentioned it, Kid did feel kind of heavy-eyed. He glanced at the clock again. It was about two in the morning. He laid down on his stomach and put his chin on his folded arms, propping his head up to see Ame. She was talking about some adventure she'd had with Nagi.

"I'm sorry," Kid exhaled. "If I close my eyes for a second. I'm still listening, I promise."

He couldn't keep his promise, but that was okay. Ame watched him as he rolled onto his side. She chewed off the last bit of beef jerky and swallowed greedily.

"You know, I think today we were made equal," she said.

"Yeah…" Kid sighed.

"Maybe this was supposed to happen," Ame continued, laying down to mimic his position. "Maybe this is what we needed to accept each other. You can make a move on me now, right?"

"Mm…."

Ame stared at his peaceful face until her eyes shut.

They weren't aware of a figure watching them from the mirror. Lord Death smiled. After all this time of Kid denying Ame his love, it seemed that things were finally turning out. They looked so cute sleeping together like that; they were like children or puppies. Lord Death reached through the mirror to grab the blanket on Kid's bed and pull it over the sleeping pair. He didn't want them to get cold.

Even though the scene was peaceful enough to bring one to tears, Lord Death still felt a twinge of regret for accepting Kid as he was. It couldn't be reversed or helped, but Kid's mind changed as well as his body. He was becoming more and more like Ame. Less and less like Death the Kid.

***And so began the endless Bleach reference of Rukia's sketchpad… Ah, memories :3**

** I'm sorry if these next few chapters are late. I thought when I went to my mom's she wouldn't mind me staying up all night to type them up, but she gave me a curfew that expired about two hours ago, so I might decide to quit while I'm ahead.**


	33. Chapter 33

Kid skimmed desperately over Maka's notes at breakfast. He couldn't fail now; his attendance record was already a mess. Ame stared at him from across the table.

"Kid, whatcha doin'?" she asked.

"Not now, Ame," he snapped. "I have a test today and I didn't study."

"Ugh, you idiot," Ame leaned back and began sipping her drink. "I'd have expected better of you, son of Shinigami."

"Hey, I didn't procrastinate!" Kid growled, his tail flicking angrily. "You were there; you knew I didn't have time."

"Wasn't it you who once told me time is money?" Ame asked slyly, flicking her ears.

"Shut up," Kid snapped dismissively, turning back to the notes. "I don't need your help."

Ame slammed her cup down on the table. "Well, excuse me!"

Wolves Are Shunned; Kid's Amazing Abilities Outshine the Rest?

Kid didn't know what he was worried about. As soon as he began, he scratched in the answers at an alarming rate. The other students stared at him in awe, mainly Maka. She knew he'd scratched out the review sheets no problem, but now he was doing this on the test? His pencil flew over the page, his letters perfectly symmetrical as always; his answers were probably right as well. Maka couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. She wasn't going to be on the top this time. She wasn't used to competing with him; he was the calmer one of the group, unlike Blackstar with whom Maka constantly quarreled. But it was just a test, which was no match to their friendship. After lunch was gym period. Today was timed trials for the hundred-meter sprint. Maka couldn't stop thinking about Kid.

"I wonder how Ame feels about this," she said. Ame hadn't gotten much attention since Kid returned and Kid refused to say anything about her. He seemed… angry. Before, he and Ame would always fight, but they held some kind of facetious fascination with each other that didn't seem to be there anymore.

"What's up?" Soul asked. Maka snapped her head up. "Come on, quit spacing out, Maka. It's your turn."

She ran the race in 7.98 seconds. Impressive record. Blackstar mad it in seven seconds flat. Kid, on the other hand, made it in 5.8 seconds. Curse his wolf speed. Blackstar didn't like that one bit.

"Who the hell does he think he is?!" he demanded.

"Blackstar, chill out," Soul said.

"Outshining me like that—he's a real show-off."

"He's just doing his best," Maka defended Kid. "Just like you and me. Making him grovel and do worse than us on purpose would be scaring him into doing the wrong thing. Is that really worth our alliance? Besides, we're getting it fixed soon."

"Yeah, besides," Soul backed her up. "Wouldn't it be boring if this wasn't a challenge?"

Blackstar's frown twisted into a cocky grin. "Sure. I will surpass god one day, and I'll start with surpassing him!"

"Great idea," Soul muttered sarcastically. "Since he is god, after all."

"Was that too obvious?" Kid asked as he joined the others. Liz gave him a smile.

"Of course not," she said. "You're still a grim reaper. None of the students will find out."

"Right," Kid nodded. He folded his hands behind his head and gazed up at the sky as he'd been doing a lot lately. "I guess I'm just being paranoid now."

"Maybe a little," Tsubaki agreed. "You don't need to worry so much though. You're among friends, and we'd always fight for you."

"I guess I'm troubled that if humans found out, they'd hate me," Kid laughed shortly. "Silly, isn't it?"

Soul Eater

After school, instead of going to the forest, Kid and the girls went on a mission. It would be their first mission since Kid's return and his transformation. They all went to New York City, were a Kishin was hunting people and blah blah blah you know this already.

It was night time and the lights were beautiful. Kid had enough information and was currently trying to track the Kishin down (the original way, of course, but maybe with a small amount of help from his new senses). Kid sniffed the air, catching the scent of decaying flesh. He could feel it coming towards him, closer and closer.

"Liz, Patti," Kid spoke. "I feel it coming closer. I think it's best that you transform now."

"Okay!"

The metal pistols felt odd in his hands. He probably should have done a little training with them at home before taking on a mission. He tried getting used to the feeling. Oh no—was this his wolf side?

"Hey, Kid?" Liz asked, sensing the rift in the connection among the three souls. "Is something wrong?"

He thought about his academic and physical skills. He was like a god, alright. That's what it was to be a wolf.

Then he thought about his social skills. He'd been acting so weird lately that Liz didn't know what was going on anymore. His own partners—gone. Maka was growing envious, he could tell by her emotional wavelength. Soul thought that this whole situation wasn't cool. Blackstar was ticked off at him. Why didn't he just keep his mouth shut?

It was like what he said to his father. He'd always felt attention starved deep down, but he dealt with it and found occupation in other things. Now that loneliness got the best of him. He wanted attention from his father. He wanted to see him more. Why was he reacting this way?

"KID, LOOK OUT!"

Kid narrowly missed being cut in half by a Kishin. He dodged to the side and aimed his weapons. No time for thinking; it was time to act. He began firing at the Kishin with all he had. He wanted to do this quickly so he could go home. Even though he was trying to put his entire soul in each wavelength, the bullets weren't strong enough to go through. He could faintly hear the voice of Liz as she shouted something at him.

"I can't hear you," he said, leaping out of the way of another attack. He almost landed on his hands, but forced himself to roll and land on his feet. He couldn't transform now, no matter what instinct told him. The odd feeling of misplacement increased and he felt a dull burning sensation in his palms. He tried to ignore it as he fired more weak bullets. The burning sensation increased with every pull of the triggers.

"Kid, I think we need more power," Liz suggested.

"Yeah, our shots are lousy," Patti added.

"Alright," Kid agreed.

"Let's go Soul—!"

The sisters weren't aware of why he'd stopped. Their faces reflected off the side panels of the guns as they looked at their meister. The fiery sensation had erupted in full force on his hands, shooting up his arms as his weapons almost transformed into death cannons. He couldn't hold it back anymore; the metal was burning him. He threw his weapons aside and lunged at the Kishin himself, transforming into a large black wolf. He moved like a shadow around the beast, tearing through its flesh repeatedly in search for its soul. Blood splattered everywhere on the pavement and the walls of the alleyway. It was the blood of the Kishin and Kid's blood.

Liz and Patti watched with disbelief. How could he do that? He rejected them, attacking himself and getting hurt. Why? There was no need to! No special attack, no injuries… just a normal mission. Patti flinched as the Kishin pinned Kid down momentarily. Kid let out an inhuman shriek as his blood pooled on the ground, and he twisted back to retaliate. Liz pulled Patti close, covering her ears and pressing her face into the elder's shoulder. Patti was quaking with fear and disbelief. She'd always had a nervousness of the big, bad wolf in stories, and she couldn't bear to see her friend like this. Ame was different, but Kid was… scary.

Liz could no longer accept it. Kid could ace all the tests he wanted to, but this was intolerable. A weapon and meister are supposed to work together to defeat enemies. Weapons are supposed to collect the souls, not the meisters. She felt like Kid was doing her job for her. This wasn't fair. It was scary how much he let his wolf side get in the way.

The Kishin was soon killed and Kid shifted forms again. He wiped the blood off his face with his sleeve, turning to the others.

"Take it," he said, motioning to the soul. The sisters didn't move. Kid clenched his jaw and rammed his ears forward. "What's the matter with you two?"

"Oh, Kid!" Patti sobbed, turning away from him and crying into her sister's chest. Liz glared at him. Kid lowered his ears and took a step back.

"Patti," he began quietly, trying to make his voice softer. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…."

"You," Liz growled. She was furious. "What's wrong with you?! You just threw us aside like that and decided you'd take care of it yourself? Are our pathetic bullets no longer enough for you? Is it because you're a grim reaper?"

There was a pause.

"Or is it because you're a wolf?"

**Yay! I finally fixed my labeling error! Okay, so on the first ten chapters, I cut them down and got an extra one labeled in the count, so I've been copy and pasting from the next one and pasting it to the previous one and on and on and so on! Gosh I'm so happy!**


	34. Chapter 34

"I see you finally came back," Kid mumbled the next day at breakfast. Ame's ears twitched.

"I wanted to give you space, darling," she said sarcastically. "After all, you were just being a jerk."

"You just can't stop harassing me, can you!?" Kid demanded. "Just leave me alone! I don't need you!"

"Good riddance," Ame spat, turning on her heel and running right back out the door. Kid sighed, sitting back down at the table. She didn't come home last night and he was already chasing her off. He'd fought with the girls too. This was all wrong; he wanted things to go back to how they were before. They had to fix this now!

Dwindling Faith; Kid's Unfortunate Mistake?

Ame made her way to the Death Room unhappily. She didn't even bother transforming into a human as she charged through the hallways. She was about to rant about Kid's horrid attitude and Lord Death's terrible parenting skills when she noticed something was off. The Shinigami seemed oddly… unhappy as well. She tilted her head to the side and barked quietly. He looked up at her and sighed.

"Hello, Ame."

"Is it about Kid?" she got to the point.

"You don't screw around, do you?" Lord Death asked. "But yes. I'm worried about Kid's condition, and you seem to be the only person I can confide in."

Ame stepped closer to him and sat down next to him. He put a steady hand on her head. He could tell her anything; they were practically family.

"He isn't getting along well with anybody, as you can see," he began. "He actually dropped Liz and Patti last night. He's… different. I just don't know how to help him. Actually, have you ever heard of the Cave of the Twin Demons?"

"Of course," Ame said. Where was he going with this?

"Well, I don't know if Kid ever told you this, but a piece of him is there. I ripped off a piece of his soul when he was starting to have premonitions like you do."

"So you tore out the white speck in the black half and sent it somewhere else*?" Ame asked. "And somehow, that shard has been summoned back."

"But that's impossible," Lord Death shook his head. "Kid is just a wolf. He couldn't honestly be…"

"He is," Ame nodded. "He's becoming… and Inochigami. An immortal Inochigami, because that's what the witch wanted."

Soul Eater

Kid tried to ignore his friends talking outside the classroom. They were talking about him.

"Just yesterday he threw us aside and attacked the Kishin on his own," Liz was telling them. "We thought he was hurt. His impulses are getting out of control."

"It's just hard for him is all," Tsubaki said. "But I agree."

Kid sighed. Why couldn't he do anything right anymore? Maybe he should just go out and apologize. He shouldn't just brush them off like this. Ame was right; he was being an ass. He got to his feet, but stopped.

Pain. So much pain. He doubled over, clutching his side with one hand and clamping the other over his mouth. Before he could contain it, ink-black blood gushed from his mouth as he became violently sick. He stared at the pool of ink at his feet in disbelief.

Only Inochigami had black blood. Shinigami rejected it entirely.

This was not good.

He felt so weak all of a sudden, as if the blood in his veins was like lead. The class was undoubtedly in an uproar by now after him getting sick like that. He felt someone standing directly over him and cringed. Why was that person's presence so threatening? He felt someone grip his hair and yank his head up. He stared, wide-eyed, in shock at the mysterious person.

It was someone he'd never seen before, but he resembled Rem so much that it almost hurt to look at him. The other smirked and with a flick of his wrist, flung Kid across the room like a ragdoll. Kid heard a muted crunch as he hit the wall and slid to the floor.

"Do you know your sin?" the boy demanded. "Do you know why you're being treated like this?"

Kid didn't answer, which only made the boy angry.** He threw a hardcover textbook at Kid's vulnerable form.

"It's because you're so USELESS!" he shouted. "What the hell kind of thing are you?! You were supposed to become a god!"

He snatched a chair from behind one of the rows of desks and stalked towards Kid. Kid whimpered and curled up defensively. The other boy raised the chair above his head and brought it down forcefully.

"Now you're just a worthless dog!" he screamed. "Why do you spend all your time complaining when you could be helping us?! Grow up! If you were a real god, you would help us. Now you're just a freak! Not a god, not a wolf, and not a human! You're too different! I'll have to kill you now! WHAT AN INCONVENIENCE!"

Kid gritted his teeth, bracing himself for the final blow. The nameless boy smirked, but hesitated as a boy with light pink hair stood in front of Kid.

"L-Leave him alone!" Crona shouted as loudly as he could. The boy smirked and knocked the other away with ease. He was about to finish what he came here for, when another student got in his way. It was a girl in a standard school uniform; she jumped in between them, covering Kid's body with her own. She glared at him.

"You shouldn't bully Kid just because he's different!" Kim yelled. "So what if he's not what you expect a god to be? I'm not what most people expect a witch to be; are you going to kill me too? Listen, if you don't like that Amaterasu's gone, then you shouldn't force other people to act on her part. You should do your best to bring her back. What kind of loyal follower are you if you do anything else? You don't belong in this world, so get out!"

There was a moment of total silence after Kim said that, broken only by a pair of kids tackling and restraining the intruder.

"Kid!" Liz and Patti shouted, running into the room as the door was finally unlocked.

"He was a genie," Maka said. "He locked the door so we couldn't get in."

"Kid, don't worry, it's going to be okay," Liz tried talking to her meister, but he showed no signs of reacting. "Something's wrong. He's being too quiet. Kid, please say something!"

"I'm… sorry…."

"… What?"

"I'm sorry," Kid whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… I'm really sorry…."

***In this sentence, Ame refers to the small Inochigami-like shard in Kid's Shinigami soul as a 'white speck.' She's comparing herself and Kid to a yin yang, him being the black half and her being the white half. If that's the case, then Ame should have a black speck in this 'Cave of the Twin Demons' too… right?**

****I put these asterisks here in my first type-through, but I didn't put the explanation down here. I've entirely forgotten what I was going to put…. VIOLENCE IS BAD!**


	35. Chapter 35

Kid was drifting in and out of consciousness by the time they got to the infirmary. He was still crying in fear, pain, and sorrow. He was still apologizing. The others left him in the hospital wing with Stein and regrouped in the hallway.

"What happened exactly?" Lord Death inquired.

"We… we don't know, sir," Liz replied. She felt that she would take the blame; he was her meister, so it was her fault this happened to him. "We weren't in the room. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let this happen; it's all my fault. If I hadn't of ignored him—"

"I've heard enough, Liz," Lord Death interrupted her. His face was unreadable. "I don't want you to blame yourself for what happened. Right now, we have more important things to do. Ame should be on her way here."

Liz nodded, relieved in some way. She knew Kid would be safe with Ame here.

Realization; Who's Words Touch the Most Hearts?

"What were you doing on the premises of this academy?" Spirit was trying to interrogate the mysterious boy, who wasn't giving any answers. "Who do you work for? Who sent you here?"

"You think I'm going to tell you?"

"I'll be asking the questions; you just give me the right answers," Spirit said obstinately.

"Did you know that my blood is black?" the boy whispered. When he looked up again, his eyes were entirely black. A dark cloud seemed to surround the two, draining the room of its oxygen and encasing the atmosphere with apprehension. Spirit withheld his fear; if this boy knew he was getting to him, then they would never get the information they need.

Kid was resting fitfully in the infirmary. He had at least twelve broken bones among other serious injuries. Whether he was Shinigami or Inochigami, his powers weren't activating and he could very well die if he didn't get better; the Black Blood made sure of that.

"Son," Lord Death sighed, staring at Kid's broken body. "How could I let this happen to you? If I had just explained things earlier, you wouldn't be here. It's all my fault."

He reached forward and rubbed between Kid's ears with one finger. He was surprised when Kid stirred, taking his father's hand hand and holding it there.

"Dad," he whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'm a terrible son. I should have never doubted you. All I wanted was to become a great Shinigami like you, but now look at me…."

"You're wrong," Lord Death disagreed. Kid opened his eyes in shock and stared at his father's face with searching eyes. "Neither of us was wrong. I created the Demon tools to save Ikiru. You questioned me to maintain peace and the safety of the world. You were right to question me and look deeper into right and wrong than I had. That is what makes you a great Shinigami."

"Father…" Kid breathed, tears spilling over. "Thank you! That's all I ever wanted to hear from you. Thank you." There was another moment of silence. "I… I don't want to be a wolf anymore."

"We need your help," Spirit said. Ame nodded and followed Spirit to the interrogation room. "He's using strong waves of Madness to confuse us. Being the embodiment of madness, I figured you wouldn't have a problem with this."

"Of course not," Ame smirked.

"Remember, you need to get information out of him by any means necessary, but don't kill him. We need him alive."

"Did you rip off his nails, then?" Ame questioned.

"No," Spirit replied hesitantly.

"Just checking," Ame said, pulling her hood up over her ears.

"Why do you need that hood?"

"Turns out werewolves aren't the only of this tribe that can see my true form," Ame replied, walking into the room.

"Another sheep?" the boy asked.

"I don't have time for names, so I'll just call you Adam," Ame said, pulling up a chair and sitting in front of him.

"Adam, huh?" the boy laughed and a cloud of Madness was sent in her direction. Cracks of light slashed through the air, defeating the madness without a problem.

"Sorry, that won't work on me," Ame smirked, pulling down her hood. "You see, I'm… an Inochigami."

Three black stripes flashed on the right side of her hair once. Fear sliced into Adam, but he composed himself. He couldn't show her his fear. Not to a god.

"Pay attention, and I don't take breaks for stupid reasons like you're hungry or you have to go to the bathroom," Ame continued, getting to her feet and drawing pattern on the wall with her tail. "You tried turning my friend into an immortal Inochigami. Why? I don't know; maybe you needed him as a sacrifice to bring back the Spider Queen.*"

"You think you can make me talk?"

"Silence!" Ame snapped, glaring at him. She began talking again. "Viewers, I request you stop reading this."

"Who exactly is she talking to?" Adam asked. He didn't doubt there were surveillance cameras in the room. He was snapped back to the present when Ame gave a demented grin.

"Ignorance is bliss," she told the people watching them. She turned to the boy and laughed. "You're so *****ed."

Soul Eater

"Ame…" Kid whispered, thinking of that morning.

'I don't need you!'

'Good riddance!'

"I'm such a fool." Tears filled Kid's closed eyes. "I shouldn't have said those things to you. I… I need you, Amaterasu."

"You… you do?" a voice asked quietly. Kid's eyes snapped open and he turned his head slightly to see Ame standing by the bed. They were alone.

"Ame," he said. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she hushed him, brushing some hair out of his eyes. "That's all I wanted to hear. From anybody. That's it."

"Please don't go," he begged.

"I'm not going anywhere without you," she reassured him. "You're going to get better and we're going to find who did this to you. We're going to do it together."

"Together," Kid agreed, his tears finally drying.

All this time, they were equal, yet still not seeing eye to eye. **

They both looked up as an inexplicable light began shining over Kid's bed. They both saw the Divine Realm, where Yomigami was watching them.

"Benevolent Amaterasu," he greeted. "My powers had weakened over our time apart, but this boy's passionate tears over you have made power swell within me. As god of Restoration, I now find you worthy of the power to heal. Go forth and use this power wisely."

The light faded away and Ame snapped back to the present.

"Well, Kid," she said to the boy lying on the bed. "Ready to activate your badass mode?"

"It's about time," he nodded eagerly.

"Okay," Ame addressed her seven companions later in the Death Room. "The clan is trying to revive Arachne."

"Of course."

"And apparently Lorraine wasn't lying when she told us at the Celtic ruins that they knew the Inochigami were mortal. So, they tried turning Kid into one."

"And you're saying he isn't?"

"This part is super complicated so Lord Death will tell you!"

"No I won't," Lord Death disagreed. "You need to get better at public speaking."

"Fine," Ame turned back to her friends. "I will use small words so you can understand."

She took a notepad and a pen out of her pockets and sketched a random doodle. "Kid started having visions of what was going to happen, which is the equivalent of an Inochigami's sixth sense,"—another picture of Asura, battle, war, etc. in a cloud—"so Lord Death tore that part away from him and sent it away." A soul shard flying away and Lord Death and Kid waving at it. "However, that shard has been summoned back, replacing Kid." Two versions of Kid—human and non-human.

"Do you mean there is another human Kid out there somewhere?" Liz asked.

"Yes, you catch on quickly," Ame nodded. "And I already know where." She went overtime on the sketching and held out a very complex mural of a dormant volcanic cave and two a-symmetrical statues. "The cave of the Twin Demons in the North."

"We don't need the drawings anymore!" Soul yelled. Ame head bashed him.

"YES YOU DO!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Blackstar yelled impatiently. "We have a clan to defeat."

"Ame," Lord Death cautioned the wolf girl. She tilted her head in his direction as the others went on. "Take care of Maka and the others. Make sure they come home safe and sound. I'm counting on you, Amaterasu, okay?"

Ame nodded and charged after her friends. They were about to head to the North when a mob of students stopped them. What were they all doing waiting in front of the school?

"Off to the fight now?" Jacqueline asked.

"What's it to you?" Blackstar asked.

"Blackstar, chill," Ame commanded. "They're coming along."

"WHAT?!"

"You chose now to tell us this?" Maka demanded.

"Yes; time is so short that you're not going to argue with me."

"Ame," Kid growled. It would be impossible to keep his wolfness a secret now.

"I was impressed by their abilities, as well as their willingness to defend you," Ame explained quickly. "I was impressed by their spark."

"As students of the DWMA, we can't sit back and watch this happen," Ox agreed.

"Besides, you need all the help you can get," Kim said.

"Especially since you can't use your weapons," Jacqueline added.

"H-how do you know that?" Kid tried to conceal his panic.

Kilik stepped forward and patted Kid on the head as if he were a dog. "You look kind of cute with your ears and a tail. It's kind of hard to take you seriously compared to how we're used to seeing you."

"A-Ame?!" Kid turned to the other wolf desperately.

"Your father and I talked it over," Ame explained. "Turns out meisters and weapons can see our true forms and stuff."

"Amaterasu!"

***… huh. She already knew all this. She doesn't even need to interrogate this guy.**

** ***** If you count the asterisks, you'll see that there's five, not four, so she's making a Lucky Star joke censoring 'screwed' instead of cussing (if you remember, she can't curse lol).**

** **All this time… that just feels kind of meant to be, with the opening theme being "All This Time." :)**


	36. Chapter 36

**This is the exciting near-boss/dungeon part of the fanfiction where I imagine Giving Kushinada a Ride playing in the background. Check it out, because it really goes with this chapter!**

The world was growing darker and darker as the group made their way to the north. All the animals were scurrying to hide from the ominous force, all except the wolves, who followed Amaterasu and offered her a ride*. Ame and Kid raced ahead of the others, Kid on his skateboard, as the others dispersed and tried to pursue the cave from the other side.

"They'll do it at midnight," Ame said, drawing the sun in the sky. "I'll keep the sun as high as I can until we get into the cave; then it'll be a matter of time. Kid, if Arachne comes back she could kill us."

"I won't let it happen," Kid said. "But we need to do more this time. We need to defeat Arachne once and for all—no setbacks this time."

"You're brave today," Ame noted.

"It's my job as a grim reaper," Kid replied with a smile. "Anyway, I can barely just hold my weapons. We need to get in and get out, got it?"

"Right," Ame nodded. "It looks like the others are coming around the other side okay. We need to get to the top of the cave and meet them there."

Epic Battle of the Gods 2! The Revival of an Old Enemy?

They all regrouped at the top of the volcano, but it was completely covered with hardened rock. There was a blizzard brewing as well.

"Why aren't any of the witches here yet?" Maka asked, looking around in the snow blizzard. The collection of students was sitting in a circle around Jacqueline, who was in her weapon form, waiting for the rest to meet them.

"It seems awfully quiet out there," Soul agreed. Maka looked at the blade of her weapon.

"I can't see much either," she said.

"It seems we all made it," Ame called, suddenly appearing on the top of the mountain with the others. "We need to be moving soon. The snowstorm is too strong, so I can't control the sun anymore."

"We couldn't find a way into the volcano," Kim reported.

"At least you'll get to see what an Inochigami can do," Ame said, stepping towards the hardened rock and drawing a cherry bomb. Even after the pretty explosion, the mountain remained solid.

"No time to make yourself look cute, Ame," Kid chided. "Come on, you're better than that. Ame, quit spacing out; I'm talking to you."

"Kid, look," Ame pointed. Her attack had made a small crack in the floor, allowing them to see directly into the cave. Kid looked to where Ame was pointing and gasped.

At the bottom of the cave… was Kid! He was human, and none of his injuries had healed at all. He looked more miserable and sick than he was when they had found him in the cell.

"That's… impossible."

"This is the right place," Ame insisted. "Come on; we have to find a different way in now. I saw a cave somewhere below on our way up."

As they traveled, they noticed that none of the witches had shown up yet. They realized a moment later that they had spoken too soon. An explosion by the side of the mountain made them all flinch. Rocks and snow began raining down in odd places. The ground began to give out under their feet and they began to run down the pathway as fast as they could. The cave was just ahead.

"Kid, jump," Ame commanded. "I'll make sure the others are safe."

Kid did as he was told, leaping to the safety of the cave with inhuman speed. He looked back to see Ame stab her Seven Strike into the ground, causing the others to be cut off and plunge into the darkness beneath them.

"Ame! No!" Kid shouted, running back out towards her. "What did you do?!"

"Kid, we're fine!" Maka called back up. Kid looked down into the abyss doubtfully. "There's a cave down here. We're going in. We'll meet you guys in the center!"

"Got it," Kid, Ame, Liz, Patti, Nagi, and Rin shouted from where they were on top of the cliff.

"How do I keep getting stuck with you?" Kid asked. Ame grinned back at him and they both turned around.

"This is it," Ame said.

"Yeah," Kid agreed.

"The cave of the Twin Demons."

"Yeah," Kid nodded.

"We've come a long way, haven't we?" Liz asked.

"Yeah," Patti agreed.

"But it's not over yet," Rin growled.

"Scared?" Nagi asked, inching closer to Liz.

"A bit," she admitted. "But it's okay. You're here, right?"

"What is this place?" Blackstar asked as they entered the small cave.

"It looks like a dungeon of some kind," Kim replied.

"We're underneath the cave of the Twin Demons Letchku and Netchku," Maka replied.

"And how do you know that?" Ox asked obstinately.

"Because a god told me about it," Maka snapped back.

"Can't argue with god," Blackstar agreed.

"Ame told me that long ago, the gods created a sacrifice out of pieces of each other so they could be equal opposites."

"She compared it to a yin-yang, didn't she?" Soul asked. Maka was surprised he had paid attention, but Ame's history lessons weren't that boring with all the illustrations she had included.

"Yes," Maka nodded. "The white shard in the black side must be what's awakened in Kid to make him become like this."

"Wait," Kim cautioned. "If there's a white shard in Kid, then isn't there a black shard in Ame?"

"Don't you think it could be here too?" Kim continued. The others suddenly felt very nervous. If the embodiment of innocence had a dark side, then what would happen if they ran into her here? Who knows what she would do?

"There they are," Ame said, gazing at the two statues on either side of the entrance to the cave. One of the statues was a humanoid figure with bird wings; the other was a human with wolf features. "The twin demons Letchku and Netchku. There was a legend they tried to become identical but it only resulted in chaos."

"I know where they're coming from," Kid said. He looked into the cave. There were two paths they could take. "Which way should we—"

He was cut off by another rockslide. There was suddenly a wall in between the two trios.

"Kid!" Ame shouted, attacking the wall and slashing at it with her tail and sword.

"Ame, it's no use," Kid snapped. "Just quit it."

"I guess we're travelling on our own, then," Ame said, sheathing Seven Strike on her back and walking in the opposite direction.

"What happened?" Liz asked, holding her sister close.

"Forget about it," Kid said quietly, going down his own path. "Come on, you two. We don't have a lot of time."

Deep within the center of the volcano, two figures were. It was Kid's human body. He was weak, but he was still breathing. He was laying in Ame's lap. Ame, as merely a fragment of the benevolent god Amaterasu, didn't have any ears or tail. She was merely human. She stroked Kid's hair, listening to the sound of his steady breathing.

_"Nennen Korori yo, _

_ Okorori yo. _

_ Boya wa yoi ko da, _

_ Nenne shina. _

_ Boya no onoro wa, _

_ Doko e itta? _

_ Ano yama koete, _

_ Sato e itta. _

_ Sato no miyage ni, _

_ Nani morotta? _

_ Denden taiko ni, _

_ Sho no fue._"

***And there's the Giving Kushi a Ride reference :D**

** You know, just because I'm updating fast doesn't mean you can't review on any chapter you want. I like hearing what people like in my stories :)**


	37. Chapter 37

"There's so much madness," Ame mumbled, looking around the cave as she walked along. "I hope Kid and the others are okay."

"Ame," Nagi called quietly. She'd been acting a bit off lately. "I can carry you, if you want."

"No, I'm fine," Ame sighed.

"There are a lot of weird clouds around here," Liz noted quietly, trying to ease the tension.

"It's probably Madness," Kid agreed. "Be careful and tell me if you two start to feel bad, okay?"

The Cave of the Twin Demons; Alter Ego of the Gods?

She looked to the side of the pathway to see a human skeleton.

"A body," Rin said.

"Let's search it," Ame said, diving to search the corpse's pockets.

"Guess humans aren't allowed here after all. They've all been struck down by the madness."

"Okay, now I'm really worried about the others," Nagi admitted.

It was a priest, Ame discovered, with exorcism slips and a rosary. She held the rosary up to the light. The beads were a deep purple and Ame felt a deep power wavelength within them.

"This is a Divine Instrument. The Exorcism beads, if I'm correct…."

"Mom will be proud," Nagi said. Ame smiled at him.

The moment was ruined when a loud roar echoed throughout the corridor. Ame draped the beads over her neck and summoned Seven Strike as a pair of demonic monsters charged at them.

"I wonder how Ame is doing," Kid thought. "And Maka and the others. Have they gotten out of the dungeon yet?"

"Hey, Patti, are you okay?" Liz asked. "You've been quiet for a while."

Kid glanced back at Patti with a concerned look. She had her head down and was walking rather slowly. Kid slowed his pace and turned his head.

"If you transform, I'm sure I could carry you for a while," he offered quietly. Patti stopped walking entirely. Kid was worried now. "Patti?"

She didn't answer, but instead fell to her knees. She put one hand over her mouth before throwing up blood. Liz ran to her side immediately.

"Patti!" Liz turned to Kid desperately. "Kid, she can't transform like this."

"Oh no," Kid knelt on the other side of Patti and put a hand on her back. She was trembling with fear. "It's the madness. It's getting to her."

"Sis, it hurts," Patti whimpered, collapsing.

"Patti," Liz cried. "Kid, what should we do? We can't move her."

"We'll just have to wait for a while," Kid told her. "Try to be calm. I can't lose both of you here."

Liz nodded and struggled to control herself. She had to be strong for Patti's sake now.

Ame landed a final blow on the demon and sheathed her sword. "Now that the welcoming committee has given us a fair greeting, why don't we meet the host of this party?"

Ame turned a final corner and entered a large room. She looked up at the high ceiling that seemed to go on forever.

"Looks like we're here," Nagi said.

"Kid!" Ame gasped, running to the center of the room. There was an elevated circular platform, almost like a stage or an altar, with a swirly sun pattern on it. In the center of the stage was Kid's human body. Ame knelt next to him and pressed a hand against his face. "He's still alive."

"Get away from him!" a voice shouted. Ame thought the voice sounded _so familiar_. For a moment, she thought it was Rem and immediately stood in front of Kid. However, the figure that came into the light had vibrant white hair and mismatched eyes. The left eye was golden and the right one was green. Ame stared at the human alter ego of herself with disbelief. No wonder the voice sounded familiar; it was her own.

"Kid, she's not getting better," Liz said tensely.

"Where are those madness suppressants Father gave us?" Kid asked. Liz hesitated. Anti-madness pills affected Kid like they did Ame; being an embodiment of Madness, they are repelled by the drug. Liz uncertainly handed the pills to Kid, who offered them to Patti with shaky hands. Just holding them made him feel sick.

"Kid, no," Patti choked out. "If I take those, you won't be able to use us anymore."

"You need these more than you need me," Kid said. "Please, just take them."

She hesitantly swallowed the medicine and got to her feet with Liz's help. Kid stepped away from her; he knew this would happen. He couldn't stand to be near her now.

"Come on," he said dismissively. "We need to get moving now."

Down in the dungeon, Maka and the others found a collection of corpses.

"Look at all those bodies."

"Looks like Rem's been using sacrifices of her own people to keep the spirit of Arachne alive," Ox said.

"Come on," Maka said, guiding them out of the dark cell to a dimly lit corridor. She paused, and the others followed suit. "I think there are others here. We should spread out some and try to get past them."

"Right," Blackstar nodded.

"We'll go first," Kim said. "I'm a witch. If anything goes wrong, I can handle it."

"Be careful," Maka nodded.

Soul Eater

When Maka and the others reached the center, Ame and Kid were there too. But Kid was still a wolf.

"Where is his human body?" Maka asked urgently.

"Looking for something?" a voice leered behind them. Rem was sitting on a high ledge.

"You witch!"

"Where's Kid?" Liz demanded.

"Let him go!" Maka shouted. Rem smirked.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But he's not here right now. If you want to see him again, I advise you listen to me very carefully."

There was silence in the room.

"I need him to complete this ritual," Rem explained, floating down to the ground. "I will revive Arachne by the spilling of your blood and the ones who are left will be her first meal."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," a voice interrupted, two figures stepping in front of Kid and the others. It was the human Kid? This was getting trippy.

"You? A pathetic human?" Rem laughed. "Don't forget your place beneath me, insect."

"You disgusting creature," Kid snarled. "You may have made me cringe before, but I'm through with fear and weakness. I will not submit to fear! I will fight not only for my own sake, but for others as well." He glanced behind him at Ame, Liz, Patti, Maka, and the others. "Liz, Patti, transform now!"

"You got it, Kid!" Patti cheered, doing as she was told.

"Ready to go?" Ame asked the wolf Kid, who nodded. The two of them transformed and growled at Rem.

"Fighting, are we?" Rem asked. "Fine, then. It'll be so much easier to get your blood on the altar."

Ame charged at the witch, Divine Instrument Exorcism Beads equipped and ready to go. Wolf Kid followed her lead, deflecting attacks with the Divine Retribution. Kid and the others fought as they always had. It felt mediocre compared to all the weird stuff that had been happening lately, but it had a sense of normality to it, which was nice.

"Sorry about what I did earlier," Kid apologized to Liz and Patti. "Throwing you guys aside like that. Believe me when I say it, I need you two."

"There's nothing to forgive," Liz replied. "We're just glad you're back. Hey, wait a minute, who were you here with?"

"You'll see in a minute," he said. "Because I'm about to throw you aside again!"

He did as he said and the girls transformed to land on their feet a few yards away. What did he do that for? As they saw Kid get hit by one of the witch's spells they realized he did it so they wouldn't get hurt. Even when he's a human he still tries too hard to protect people. A figure dressed in white stepped in front of them.

"A-Ame?" the girls stuttered, looking at her. She had no tail or ears; she was just human.

"Girls, will you transform for me please?" Although it sounded like a command, she was being more polite about it than Kid. The girls transformed in beams of light and Ame took them in her hands, spinning them once before aiming at the witch.

"Wow, I wish Kid was this polite," Liz mumbled.

"Wow, I'm badass!" Ame stared at the human version of herself in admiration.

"I know, right?!" human Ame squealed before resuming her serious demeanor and attacking the witch.

Human Ame fired one long shot right at the witch. Her soul wavelength was composed of a million colors. The witch struggled to block the attack, giving wolf Ame just enough time to sneak behind her and slash through her.

"Oh, no you don't!" Rem screeched, reaching behind her and throwing a blade of pure black at Ame. Ame let out a shout as she was thrown back against the altar, her black and red blood spreading in a pattern over the stone structure.

"Ame!" Kid cried after her. It was the worst sound in the world to hear Ame scream. "Get away from there!"

But it was too late. Rem's final act had caused an Inochigami's blood to be shed at midnight over and altar dedicated to the Spider Queen. A demonic violet-black glow shot upwards to the sky.


	38. Chapter 38

Rem reached behind her and threw a blade of pure black at Ame. Ame let out a shout as she was thrown back against the altar, her black and red blood spreading in a pattern over the stone structure.

"Ame!" Kid cried after her.

But it was too late. Rem's final act had caused an Inochigami's blood to be shed at midnight over and altar dedicated to the Spider Queen. A demonic violet-black glow shot upwards to the sky.

Soul Eater

Ame staggered to her feet, blood pouring from her wounds, as Lady Arachne appeared from the altar in a cloud of black, violet, and red. They all shook in fear and hesitation as the evil woman stood in front of them. Her violet and silver eyes searched the room as Rem stepped towards her.

"Master," she said, staggering a bit. Blood pooled at her feet; Ame's last attack on her had done quite an amount of damage. One final blow and they could have all gone home had it not been for Ame's blood on the altar.

"Rem," Arachne greeted. "I must thank you for reviving me. However, I find that I am too hungry to resist you."

"What?" Rem choked in disbelief as Arachne reached forth with eight spindly vectors and brought her closer to the spider's lips. Maka and the others watched in horror as Arachne ate her only servant. What was this?! This thing wasn't the vile yet elegant creature they had battled with during the time of Asura's revival. This was a sick, twisted monster that was more frightening than they could have ever imagined her to be.

"How delightful; she's left me to feast on the reaper as well," Arachne said, turning to Kid and reaching her vectors out. Her attack was reflected, however, by a red-striped wolf with a flaming shield on her back. Ame growled at Arachne, who seemed unpleasantly surprised. "You again?! How many times do I have to tell you—don't interfere!"

She lashed out at Ame, but the lethal wolf flipped out of the way, still snarling.

"You're supposed to be dead!"

"Am I not?" Ame looked down at herself.

"No, it can't be," Arachne paused in her ruthless attacks for a moment. "You can't be the beast I tried to kill eight centuries ago. You're much too weak." She suddenly laughed mockingly at Ame. "Where's your Eternal Blaze? Where's your Power Slash 10? You're so weak I can feel it. All you have are a few Divine Instruments and a couple brush powers. You aren't Ikiru."

"No," Ame said. "I'm her daughter Amaterasu!"

"That dog had a daughter?" Arachne thought twice about laughing this time. She gave Ame a skeptical look. "You'll make a fine meal… indeed."

"No I won't!" Ame snarled. "I will fight you! I will make sure your soul is taken to a different place where no one can find it! I will make sure you'll never hurt me or my friends again!"

"You're Ikiru's child, alright," Arachne sneered. "I can sense your power of determination. However, I can also sense the tears you are trying so desperately to hide. Come at me, challenge me, because if you don't you'll die a coward's death."

"I won't," Ame said to herself. "I won't be a coward. I won't be a coward!"

"Are you ready to fight, Amaterasu?"

"Yes," Ame replied. Kid didn't transform. Ame turned to him with searching eyes and his ears plushed rather guiltily.

"This is where we leave you, Amaterasu," Kid said, reaching out to his human Ame companion. "We are only summoned when we are needed. You and Death the Kid both have succeeded in finding a will in yourselves and each other to fight. You don't need us anymore."

Ame nodded. "Say hi to Yomigami for me. He's helped so much."

"Give my regard to Lord Death as well," Kid nodded and he and Ame disappeared in the shadows of the cave.

Ame looked Kid, then at Liz and Patti and Nagi and Rin. The rest of the students prepared themselves for battle and faced the Spider Queen. Arachne smiled and gave a wave of her hand. All her servants come forth from the shadows and corners, transforming into hideous spiders and scrabbling out to attack the children.

"We'll take care of the spiders," Maka called to Kid and Ame.

"You take care of Arachne," Blackstar added. "I'm leaving the stage boss for the real gods. Don't let me down now."

"Right," Kid nodded to them and Ame charged at Arachne.

Ame snatched the Exorcism Beads off her neck and snapped her neck out in Arachne's direction. Her soul energy pulsed through the beads and caused great damage to Arachne's health and body.

"Kid," Ame called, regrouping with the Shinigami after she had made a full circle around the witch. "Save the Death Cannon for a while. There's something important you should see first."

"What am I looking for?" Kid asked, dodging another one of Arachne's attacks. Ame shielded herself with the Divine Retribution.

"You'll know it when you see it," she replied. "And when you see it, don't hold back."

Ame charged again, circling Arachne halfway so that she might get an attack from the back. Arachne turned at the last second and struck out at Ame.

"Stay away!" she yelled. Ame whimpered and got to her feet, circling again. Blood, both read and black, stained her steps.

"Why isn't Ame using any of her ink?" Kid wondered. "Is she saving it? For what? Arachne panicked when Ame got too close; is there something that Ame knows about that will make Arachne vulnerable?"

Ame deflected another shot, running at Arachne as she did so. She was now close enough to wrap her Exorcism Beads around Arachne's body—that was why she was circling earlier—and draw a circle around her with her tail. Arachne let out a scream and Ame retreated to as far away as she could get. Ame lunged on top of Kid, forcing his body underneath hers protectively.

What did she do?

Soul Eater

The large spiders dissolved and transformed into horribly mutated creatures. They had scaly bodies, scorpion tails, eight legs, and the fangs and tongues of snakes. They had glaring red eyes with ecliptic pupils. Maka cringed; if that wasn't disturbing, the only thing left was the Spider Queen's true form.

The Spider Queen herself transformed into something neither spider nor human. She was larger than any of her arachnid helpers, and she maintained the features of a spider. She had a spider's body, but her head was human. Her face wasn't the naturally graceful, even beautiful and seductive face of Lady Arachne; it was pale, her mouth seemed to split her face in half and it was covered in blood and lined with sharp fangs. Two large pincers stuck out of either side of her mouth, stained with poison and blood. Her eyes were the same, but somehow emptier, more frightening. Her hair was ratty and draped to the ground like a thin black sheet. She looked like something out of a horror movie.

"What the heck is that thing?!" Liz cried. "That's super scary! I can't believe I agreed to come in here! What the hell?! As soon as I get home I'm going back to Brooklyn!"

"I missed you so much," Kid muttered. He turned to Ame. "Can I shoot it now?!"

"Yes!" Ame shouted back.

"Let's go, Soul Resonance!"

As Kid and the other two prepared their attack, Ame pursued the spider queen.

"You!" Arachne yelled. "Look at what you did to me, you disgusting creature!"

"I merely showed your true form, Spider Queen," Ame barked. "Now you are weak enough that I can exorcise you properly."

Ame held out one of the Exorcism slips she had acquired from that dead body and threw it at the beast. Arachne let out a screech as it hit her and burned a hole straight through her and rebounded back to Ame. The spider faced Ame and spit venom in her direction. Ame let out a pained yelp; the poison burned her skin as she desperately tried to shake it off. Arachne turned back to Kid, but Ame ran forward and began biting her leg in protest, power slashing and cutting at it with her Seven Strike. Arachne recoiled and batted Ame away with one of her long, clawed hands.

Kid gasped as he saw Ame get tossed around.

"Kid, focus," Liz said calmly. "You're already too weak as it is. If we can only land one hit, at least make it count."

"Right."

Ame lunged upward and drove an exorcism slip through the Spider Queen's face, dodging the venomous blood that spurted in her direction, and caught it on the other side of the spider's body.

"Kid!" Ame shouted, transforming back into a human and running to meet the human god. "Are you ready?!"

"Yes!" Kid shouted back, taking her hand. Their souls expanded to connect to each other. The stripes on the left side of Kid's soul and the black stripes on the right side of Ame's soul joined together, completing three circles.

"What's happening?" Patti asked. "Their stripes are all connecty with each other!"

"I don't know," Liz replied. "But I think this will finish it off!"

The last shot fired at the Spider Queen was white and black, with fleck of rainbow colors in it—it was actually quite pretty—with beads from the Exorcism rosary. The spider queen gave a final scream as the ray stabbed into her chest and split and ripped through several parts of her body before she finally fell over, dead.

**Commence playing Kushi's Choice in the background now. =w=**

And so it came to pass that the Spider Queen, Arachne herself, had been defeated for the last and final time. Her body became a beautiful cherry blossom, petrified in stone. Her minions dissolved as well, their spirits going to a darker place where they may never again trouble the souls of innocent people. This great cause of misfortune had disrupted the two gods' peaceful world of happily ever after, but now they stood, triumphant over this Afreet beast, beaming with pride and joy. For a moment, not even their severe battle wounds were taken notice of as the students of the Death Weapon Meister Academy, Death the Kid, and the benevolent Inochigami Amaterasu gazed upon the stone flower. This flower would come to signify beauty in even the ugliest of things. The beauty in Madness.

"We did it," Kid breathed in disbelief. "Ame—we actually—"

"We did it, Kimosabe!" Ame cheered. Kid frowned.

"Of course you ruin a victorious moment by saying something like that," he said, laughing anyway.

"That's the great god Amaterasu for you," Liz agreed.

The others began laughing when a single ray of darkness lifted from the stone cherry blossom that had been the Spider Queen. Purged out of purity and the last blind attempt of hatred, it shot in no particular direction and the others scattered immediately. Ame and Kid dove to the side, but Ame looked up in time to see the beam of light head straight for Kim. The witch was frozen in fear. All that ran through Ame's head were the final words of Lord Death before they had come out on this dangerous mission.

"Take care of Maka and the others. Make sure they come home safe and sound. I'm counting on you, Amaterasu."

Ame didn't think; she dashed from her spot and towards Kim, pushing her out of the way just in time. Kim was safe; however, Ame couldn't dodge the attack before it hit her. She was thrown back before she could even yelp in pain, and disappeared in the rubble of the broken room.

"AME!" Kid screamed. He couldn't believe it. After all these things done to make sure he didn't die, Ame sacrificed herself… for someone who saved Kid. It was all wrong! This was supposed to be the happy ending like it was before!

Kid ran through the ruins of the room, searching desperately for the wolf. He saw her in her human form, just lying on her side. Kid collapsed to his knees next to her, dropping his weapons. He slowly gathered Ame in his arms.

"No," he gasped, tears filling his golden eyes. He clutched her close to his chest. Her body was cold and still. "Please, please, _no_. Ame." He opened his eyes and pulled her away slightly. "Listen to me; pay attention, alright? You… you can't…" he couldn't finish his sentence; the words caught in his throat and he sobbed once. "You have to get up! I know you're tired, but you can sleep at home. I'll take you home and you can sleep all you want to. I… I'll even buy you food. Anything you want. Cherry cakes, microwave dinners, anything. You can eat yourself sick and I won't get mad at you. Please, Ame…."

He stared at her pale face as his vision began to blur with fresh tears. Even in death, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"I couldn't save you," he whispered. "You…." He inhaled sharply and continued. "Why couldn't I see it before? I was too busy yelling at you, or teasing you… but in truth, I enjoyed every minute of it. More than anything I enjoyed you; you filled that space within me. Were you happy, huh? Didn't you enjoy those cherry cakes I gave you? Did you like that movie I took you to? You wouldn't settle down after you saw it," he laughed slightly. "There's still so much I have to do with you. I still have to find what food you crave, and I still…. You promised you'd be with me forever!"

The others jumped at his sudden outburst.

"Ame," Kid cried. "You… you mean more to me than symmetry."

He put his head down, letting the tears silently fall down his face. Ame's tail began to wag slowly, softly. Kid raised his head.

"Well, if you love me that much," Ame murmured quietly. She opened her eyes. "Then I guess I could stick around a bit longer. At least until I get that meal you mentioned."

"You glutton," Kid said, but his face was beaming with a bright smile of relief. Behind them, cheers erupted. Ame smiled back at him and nuzzled her nose under his chin as he cuddled her close.

"Kid," she whispered. "Are you proud of me?"

"Yes," Kid sighed, patting her head and trailing his hand down her hair to cup her face. "I'm so proud of you, Amaterasu."

"Please don't say my name," Ame begged. "I'm still anemic; I can't handle it."

Kid laughed and got to his feet. His injuries paled in comparison to hers. "We'll be home soon. Just relax, why don't you?"

Ame curled up in his arms and closed her eyes. She loved this so much. She wanted it to be like this forever. She didn't think of the future or past or any other world as he carried her away. He was carrying her again. She liked that a lot.


	39. Chapter 39

**If our feelings stay, just meet me under our favorite cherry tree…**

"I sense the tears you are so desperately trying to hide."

** And RESET all the sadness within me.**

Once the students got back to Death City, the majority of them went home after Maka offered to report in for all of them. Maka, Soul, Blackstar, and Tsubaki walked with Kid, Ame, Liz, and Patti to make sure they made it to the academy alright; their injuries were the worst of anyone's. Ame didn't even stir as Kid took her to the infirmary. Although he was hesitant, Naigus insisted that Kid stay the night in the infirmary just in case there was something they were overlooking.

Kid was lying on the bed opposite to Ame's, staring at her peaceful face. He almost lost her. What would the world be without her? Ikiru would tear him to shreds, that's for sure. Enough about what could have happened; Kid wanted to think for the thousandth time that Arachne really was dead. The demonic spider queen, who was the origin of all this pain inflicted upon the Inochigami, was finally dead. She could no longer be summoned back, thanks to Ame's exorcism work, not that her followers would want to mess with Ame anyway.

It was nice to be home again.

Healing Wounds; Tears Only Few Can See?

Kid awoke sometime late in the day. It had been around sun rise when they had finally arrived in the city, so Kid assumed he'd been sleeping all day. He hated unproductive days, but it felt nice to sleep. He sat up and looked around a bit.

"Feeling alright?" Naigus asked him. Kid turned his head.

"Yes, thank you," Kid replied, turning to look at Ame. "Has she been sleeping like a log this entire time?"

"Yes."

"Good," Kid smiled.

"She awoke a few hours ago, for a brief time," Naigus informed him. "She seemed very upset about something."

Kid gave her a confused look. Ame wasn't easily troubled by anything, so he wondered what was the matter with her. He felt bad for not being awake to help her.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. He felt responsible for Ame's actions again.

"She didn't make a fuss," Naigus replied. "By the way, a few get-well gifts came in for you both today. I've never seen so many things come in for only two people."

"Gifts?" Kid blinked. "From whom?"

"Your classmates, mostly," Naigus replied, lifting a few boxes onto the desk. "They must have scraped together all their money and bought a lifetime's supply of cherry cakes for you both."

Kid blinked, surprised. He'd never expected to see that either.

Later, when his friends came to visit him, Ame was still sleeping.

"Hey Kid," Liz greeted. Kid smiled at them.

"Hey," he greeted, setting his book aside. "It's nice to see you guys."

"How are you doing?" Maka asked.

"I feel fine," Kid replied. "I guess I can't say the same for Ame, though."

"She's been sleeping a lot?" Soul asked.

"That's the Ame we know," Tsubaki smiled.

"Naigus told me she got upset earlier," Kid answered uncertainly. "I wish I knew."

"Hey, I got an idea," Patti said. "Sis and I brought something from home that'll make Ame feel better for sure!"

She pulled Ame's stuffed panda out of the small bag they had brought with them. Kid immediately recognized it as the panda he'd won for her at the carnival. He hadn't seen her with it lately.

"Are you sure about that?" Soul inquired. "You know, she doesn't like looking cute in front of people."

"She's too tired to know we're here," Liz said.

Patti set it on the side of the bed and Ame stirred slightly, sighing and opening her eyes a crack. Her eyes immediately fell on the panda.

"Is she going to go for it?" Blackstar wondered quietly.

"She's thinking about it," Liz replied.

There was a moment of debate. Ame looked like she was about to just leave the panda when she reached out with grabby hands and clutched the stuffed animal close to her, falling asleep again.

"She loves that panda," Kid remarked.

"She sleeps with it religiously," Liz agreed. "It should become another one of Excalibur's 1,000 provisions; make sure Ame sleeps with her panda-chan at night."

"Otherwise she would go into complete panic," Kid added with a laugh.

Soul Eater

Ame felt herself stirring for the first time in a while. Her eyes fluttered open softly and she yawned. The room smelt familiar.

"Morning, sunshine," Kid greeted. Ame raised her head off the pillow and sat up. "Or, evening really; you slept a long time."

"Reset the clock," Ame muttered. "Tick tack tick tack."

"What are you talking about now?" Kid asked.

Ame let out a loud yawn and stretched her arms as far as she could with her muscles being so stiff. "Hungry."

"Your wounds look bad," Kid mumbled in concern, eyeing the cuts and bruises on her skin. In truth, he was just relieved.

"Kid, did you hear me?" Ame asked. "I said I'm hungry."

"You'll heal in a few days," Kid assured her. "Just rest easy for now."

Ame pouted at him for a moment before thrashing her arms out angrily. She was too cute and tiny to take seriously, though. "You're ignoring me on purpose!"

"Don't worry, I heard you," Kid grinned.

"I'm glad you woke up," Naigus said, shuffling through a few things on her desk. "I was beginning to worry. Usually we'd give the patients soup, but you two have gotten some nice gifts from somebody."

She unwrapped a plate of cherry cakes and set it on the table between the two beds.

"There's plenty where that came from, so eat all you like."

"Thank you," Kid and Ame said. Ame turned ravenously to the food and reached for one immediately. Kid laughed at her hasty appetite. She could be poisoned with that carelessness. Kid glanced at the card attached to the plate and smiled.

"Thanks a lot. –Kim"

Kid smiled and reached for one of the dumplings. It was good to be human again, no longer bothered by that insatiable hunger.

"Ame," he began. "About what I said in the cave…."

"That I mean more to you that symmetry?" Ame asked with her mouth full, reaching for another cake.

"Yes, well…" Kid swallowed the bite of tart cherry and mochi rice. "Not that I didn't mean that, but… would you mind not really telling anyone else about it?"

Ame's ears fluffed up. She laughed.

"I think you're very cute," she said. Kid blushed.

"Why you!"

He felt his hand collide with hers and looked down. There was only one cherry cake left.

"Um, go ahead," Kid said, pulling away.

"No, you should have it," she said.

"I insist," Kid shoved it closer to her. "Eat all you want. Even though I am still hungry."

"I know!" Ame cheered. "Let's settle the score with a staring contest."

"You are so childish," Kid snapped. "But fine. I don't know what you're going to try to pull in this state, but it's worth a shot."

"Fine, then, let's start," Ame said. She jumped out a bit, making the funniest face she could whilst shouting "Be-BLEH!"

Kid tried to maintain his focus, but soon began laughing. His eyes closed and he gripped his sides in pain.

"That face! That's not even human!" he laughed.

"Wow, I didn't think I'd get that much out of you," Ame smirked proudly. Kid smiled at her.

"Sorry for laughing so much," he apologized. "It's just I was so scared when you took that shot for Kim. Now look at you; eating like a pig and making faces to match. Nothing can sway you, can it?"

"At least I would have died doing something cool," Ame smirked at him, then frowned. "I'm sorry; I know you probably don't like me saying things like that."

"I… I really don't care," Kid smiled at her. "You can be crazy all you want; it's just you."

"Well, in that case," Ame said mischievously. "You know that extremely depressed feeling when you're about to die and you haven't done anything with your life?"

There was a pause.

"I didn't have it."

"Another Johnny Depp reference to conclude this chapter's Madness," Kid sighed. "You never change, but that's what I like about you."


	40. Chapter 40

"YOU BETTER NOT LET ME DOWN!" Ame was screaming. "I'M COUNTING ON YOU HIRAGII!"

Kid sighed, pausing in the doorway with a bored expression on his face. He was being released from the hospital since his wounds had healed, but Ame was still in bed.

"NOW YOU GO GET ME THE BEST CRÈME PUFFS YOU CAN!" Ame shouted.

"Fine!" Kid shouted at her, exasperated, before shutting the door and walking down the hallway with Liz and Patti. "She's such a trouble."

"That's not what you said before," Liz said. "Come on, as long as she's alive, can't you be at least a little happy about it?"

"Of course I'm happy," Kid mumbled as they walked along. "But why do I have to get it? Can't she get her own food?"

Ame stared at the door and sighed. She'd be alone today. She rolled over and went to sleep again. When she awoke, someone was watching her.

Ame sat bolt upright. "How long have you been there?"

Miss Marie averted her gaze and fiddled nervously with a small container in her hands. "I wasn't watching you sleep! Um, I just heard about what happened and I know you like rice balls and I didn't know how to make cherry cakes, so I know you might not like them, but when I came in, you were still asleep and I didn't want to wake you, and I…."

Ame blinked at her and looked at the container of food in her hands. She smiled. Marie was always nice.

"With all this praise rolling in," Ame thought as she began eating. "I should be able to leave today."

Just Another Kira Chapter Before The Next Arc! XD

"It's good to be home," Liz sighed. "It kind of feels like we didn't get a good break the past few weeks with all that's been going on."

"Yeah," Kid agreed. "I'd like to relax a bit as well."

"I know what we should do!" Because Patti always has ideas. "We should throw a party."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Kid thought, abandoning the idea of relaxation. "A celebration should follow such a victory as defeating Arachne, after all."

"That sounds like a lot of fun," Maka agreed. "When will Ame be out of the hospital?"

"Within the week, I suppose," Kid speculated. "She seemed to be healing at a steady rate this morning."

"Didn't she say Inochigami can heal faster with praise?" Tsubaki asked.

"Guess we better give her a lot of attention today, huh?" Soul chuckled.

The others laughed.

After class, Kid and the others went straight to the infirmary to check on Ame. They kind of expected her to be sleeping or eating, but instead she was out of bed and on her feet, tying her skirt around her waist.

"Ame, what are you doing out of bed?" Kid was the first to ask. "Stop being so stubborn and rest like Naigus told you to."

"I'm better now," Ame replied, turning to face them. They were astounded by her perfect skin and her glowing features. Just that morning she was covered in injuries, but now she looked better than she had in weeks.

"You're better!" Maka exclaimed happily. "How did you heal that fast? That was almost faster than Kid's rate of recovery."

"I told you I heal with praise," Ame stuffed her feet into her black boots. "With all the cherry cakes everyone gave me, I was feeling better some time ago."

"Good," Liz smiled at her. "Kid was just getting lonely."

"I was not!" Kid snapped.

"You don't have to hide your feelings from her anymore, Kid," Liz said.

"I'm ignoring you, Liz," Kid sighed.

"I have a huge family," Ame said, as if she hadn't been listening. "I just realized it, but I know have the entire freaking school on my side!"

"Uh-huh, right," Kid nodded, turning to Ame and handing her a circular object wrapped in white cloth. "Here, we found a lot of artifacts in Arachne's body after you passed out. My father is keeping the rest of them until you can verify their authenticity."

Ame unwrapped the object and smiled. The blue disk activated at her touch and glowed at the seams, falling apart before swirling in a pattern and falling back in place.

"Divine Instrument Infinity Judge acquired," Ame nodded to herself, closing her fist. The Infinity Judge dissolved at her touch. "Reflector. Look it has a mirror on the other side! Four down."

In all, Arachne had stolen the Infinity Judge, a sword called Eighth Wonder (which made Kid happy about the newly acquired symmetry. Her last sword was Seven Strike), and a series of small broken Madness Artifacts including two tablets that she couldn't activate yet and a Restoration godly charm. Including her Divine Retribution, Seven Strike, and Exorcism Beads, she felt as if she was making good progress.

"What is all this stuff?" Kid asked, eyeing the table's worth of Madness artifacts.

"Oo!" Ame squealed happily, picking up a leather bracelet with a small stone with the kanji character for the dragon on it. "A godly charm!"

"Let's try this again," Liz said. "What is this stuff?"

"Madness artifacts Arachne used to become powerful. The madness eventually corrupted her and she became the embodiment of her true form." Ame retrieved her sketchbook out of her white bag and began doodling on it. "There are three upgrades to each weapon, as there are to brush powers. With all these powers in paw, the stripes on my soul will connect. All this other stuff is Magic/Madness artifacts that can be used to amplify certain powers or abilities I have. For instance, this godly charm will amplify my power of restoration. I can equip it because I have found the power of Restoration already. However, these tablets I can't activate because they are linked to powers I don't have yet."

"Your mother has taught you well," Lord Death complimented, petting her between the ears approvingly. "I'm so proud."

"Dad!" Kid complained. "Will you cut that out?"

"No left eye though," Ame sighed. Kid frowned, reaching forward to rub her back reassuringly.

"I guess it was destroyed with Asura," he said.

"What are you guys talking about now?" Soul asked.

"Nothing," Ame replied quickly, pushing Kid's hand away. Kid felt hurt by her rejection; it was as if she said, '_Tell them if you dare, but I won't like you anymore.'_

Story time with Ame

"Have you ever heard the legend of how the stars were made?"

"No."

"Well, it all began with—you guessed it—an Inochigami. There was a time where the world lived in darkness at night; it's only source of light was the moon. However, every month there would be a new moon. This was a night where evil took over the world and caused chaos from sundown to sunrise.

"One night, an Inochigami stood up against the foulest demon of the night—let's call him Steve since I can't remember his real name. Our goddess fought long and hard, valiant was she.

"Then, when the battle was over, she was so wounded that black and red blood flowed from her wounds, but she was happy. The demon had been vanquished and her beloved people were safe again. Regardless of her injuries, she danced with all her spirits of joy and hope, splattering blood everywhere. The ink stuck to the sky, shining a bright white from all her purity, and became little glowing lights. These stars soon lit every night alongside the moon, and no human had to fear the darkness again."

Bonus

Ame was walking down the hallway with Kid; it was nice to be seen around with him at last. They were suddenly interrupted by a shy figure stepping close to them.

"U-um… Benevolent Amaterasu?"

Ame turned to see a scrawny little blonde student. He was holding a small box out.

"M-my name is Hiro, not that you probably care, but I was just wondering…. Will you accept this gift as a token of my appreciation?!"

Kid watched this pathetic student basically confess his love to the girl Kid clearly had dibs on. He considered wrapping a possessive arm around Ame and leaving Hiro to ponder his existence, when Ame smiled and wagged her tail.

"You should learn from him, Kid!" she exclaimed, taking the box, wrapping Hiro in a warm hug, and kissing him on the cheek. Hiro blushed profusely, but he didn't pull back. He just stood there in shock as Ame moved on, giving him a cursory wave and a 'we should meet up sometime.'

"Yeah, thanks."

"Ame," Kid whispered furiously in a slightly scolding tone.

"What?" she whispered back.

"Don't give him false hope like that!"

"What? Are you afraid he'll be in the way?"

"No, but if you accept him into our group then he will be! And we won't be the Lucky Eight, we'll be the Lucky Nine, which is a stupid number!"

"No, we'd be Ookami-san and her Eight Companions!"

"Another freaking anime reference?! Really?!"


	41. Chapter 41

"I've never been to a pool before," Ame said.

"I bet you haven't," Kid agreed.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing," Kid lied. "Anyway, I want to take you somewhere this summer, but I want to make sure you can swim first."

"Okay!" Ame cheered. It was just the four of them today; Kid, Ame, Liz and Patti. The others were pretty busy since it was near the end of the school year.

"Anyway," Kid continued. "Don't slip in puddles, don't drown anyone, and most importantly do **not**…."

Seeing as he had Ame's attention, he continued.

"Ask me for food."

Ame deadpanned.

The Water God; Nuregami's Cruel Intention to Drown the Benevolent Goddess?

"Come on, Ame," Liz said for the thousandth time. "We got you the best bathing suit on the market, now get out there and show it off!"

"I'm not taking off this sweater," Ame growled, gripping either sides of her top and holding it down. They had already gotten her pants off, somehow….

"Is it because of Kid?" Liz asked. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Gouge out his eyes," Ame said immediately. Liz sweat-dropped.

"I'm afraid that's a crime. What else?"

"Come on," Patti sneaked up behind them and wiggled her fingers against Ame's side. Ame hated being tickled; it made her vulnerable. And she had a weird laugh.

The three met Kid outside the locker rooms.

"Took you three long enough—" Kid stopped when he saw Ame. He fell backwards, suddenly overcome with a horrendous nosebleed.

"What?" Liz asked. "It's just a standard top and trunks. So what if you can see a sliver of her waist? She's so picky."

Anyway, the four of them got in the water. It was nice and cold and it felt good to cool off since the days were starting to get hot. Ame hesitated at first, but stepped into the cold water, lunging out and kicking her feet up. Swimming was instinctual for a wolf. She swam in a small circle and went back to meet the others.

"How do you like it?" Kid asked.

"It's nice," Ame sighed, blushing and touching her feet to the bottom of the pool so she could stay in one place. She looked away. "It's sad though because the water is killed by all the chemicals in it."

She inhaled and dove underneath the water. When she came up again, she was coughing and sputtering. Kid chuckled.

"Did you swallow some water?" he asked. Ame frowned in that arrogant way of hers as she did when she didn't want to admit something.

"No, it looked lonely so I gave it a kiss," she said.

Kid laughed. Patti snuck up behind him and jumped on him.

"Piggy back ride!" she chanted. Kid smiled slightly, but complied with her childish desires. Ame watched for a few minutes, wringing her hands quietly as if she wanted a turn. Liz shoved her forward slightly. Looks like the twins weren't over their KidxAme shipping. At first, Ame felt so embarrassed, then she got an idea.

"My turn," she insisted. Kid rolled his eyes, but complied again. At least Ame still looked like a child, so most likely, people wouldn't stare.

Once they got to deeper water, Ame smirked demonically and shouted, "Trolling!"

Kid stiffened. She was going to drown him! He realized it a second too late as her weight overpowered his and he was forced under the water. Liz and Patti watched him struggled. Patti was laughing, but Liz wasn't so sure.

"I don't get it," she said. "Does she want him, or doesn't she?"

"Let's play Colors now!" Patti said. What was with her? She just came up with all sorts of ideas to get Ame and Kid together.

"Colors?" Ame tilted her head. Liz swam towards her and whispered in her ear.

"You get to lay in Kid's arms!" she said temptingly. Ame got really excited and swam impossibly fast, jumping—or more like body slamming—into Kid's arms. Kid scowled at her.

"What's your problem?!" he demanded.

"Hope you aren't scared of heights," Liz taunted Ame as they made their way to the diving boards on the other side of the pool. However, it was also a natural hunting instinct to jump from a high place into water. Ame liked having the air whiz around her and for a moment it looked like she was flying. She felt the water surround her with a muffled splash and opened her eyes. She looked up to see a constellation of stars in the middle of the day.

She didn't expect this to happen at a public pool. She drew in the missing stars and the silhouette of a snake in a spherical jar. She felt the water grow warm around her as the god made his presence in this world.

"Benevolent Amaterasu," he hissed. "I have heard rumors of your return. I have been gone long, but your power has encouraged my return. As a sign of my gratitude, I, Nuregami, give you the power to bend Water."

"She's been down there a long time," Kid said uneasily, moving to stand at the edge of the pool.

"Too long," Liz agreed, narrowing her eyes. The water was oddly misty, so Liz couldn't tell if Ame was still under water. "Can you see her?"

Kid strained his eyes past the mist and scoured the bottom of the 14-foot pool. Ame was in the center, lying on her side with her mouth agape and her eyes closed.

"She's just lying there!" Kid looked up at the sky as it began to glow unnaturally. "A constellation here? A water god?"

"Kid, what are you talking about?" Liz demanded.

"That water god is going to drown her!" Kid dove into the water, surprised by its warmth. It was almost uncomfortable. He clawed wildly at the water. Ame's soul… it was fading. Kid's lungs burned for air and he almost turned back up, but he exhaled and touched the bottom of the pool. He gripped Ame's shoulder, shaking her slightly. For a moment, it looked like she was crying. Kid wrapped his arms around her and carried her to the top.

They both burst out of the water, gasping for air. Kid helped Ame to the edge of the pool and carried her out.

"Ame!" Liz and Patti cried, running towards them. "Ame, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, guys, really," Ame said, getting to her feet shakily.

"What happened?" Kid demanded. "What was that 'god' trying to do to you?"

"Kid, calm down," Ame said. "He's one of the weakest gods yet; I had to give him some of my life."

"Ame, that's totally crazy! Do you have any idea how scared…" Kid trailed off, looking at how Ame gazed at the water. He didn't need to yell at her. He smirked and put a folded towel on her head. She looked up. "So what power did Nuregami give you?"

Ame looked at her hands. She didn't really know. The only way to find out was to try it. She bolted out across the water's surface. Yes—_across it._ The trio watched in awe as she ran over the water and drew several lines in the water, creating waves and water spouts.

"Is that girl walking on water?!" they heard someone shout.

"She really is god," Kid smirked. He scowled internally. "She's even more godlike than me."

"I've heard of her! Do you think she's the great god Ame?"

Ame transformed unnecessarily in front of a bunch of people. Even if they couldn't see the crimson markings on her fur or the Infinity Judge or the fresh small lily pads she left in her tracks, they could see the purity in her white coat as she ran. They could see the innocence in her eyes. This was the goddess Amaterasu, she was here now, and the world was waiting for her.

**Yeah! I love this one a lot because most of the ideas came from stuff my sister and I do together all the time and it has a nice first-of-the-arc feel to it. Man, we're halfway through the chapter already. It feels like just yesterday I put it up. Huh.**


	42. Chapter 42

Before they knew it, it was summer vacation at last. The school year had come and gone in the blink of an eye with Ame around. The first two weeks, Kid was going to stay at his summer home and he'd asked the others if they had wanted to go. They all accepted, of course.

"Summer, at last," Kid sighed, looking out the window of the train. Now he could relax. Or not. He looked back at his train car-full of companions. Liz, Patti, Ame, Soul, Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Maka were coming with him.

"Thank you for inviting us along to your summer home, Kid," Tsubaki said. "We won't be any trouble for you."

"It's not like I could leave any of you," Kid replied happily. "I hope it's to your liking. It's a new development, so I haven't seen it yet."

"It's nice to get away from Death City to relax," Soul said. "And not worry with all those missions all the time."

"It's nice that we can all go," Maka added. "It feels like we haven't been getting together enough just the eight of us."

"It's exciting going on a trip with everybody," Liz said. "We're going to have lots of fun."

"Too bad," Patti said with a devilish grin. "Kid and Ame can't have all the fun they want."

"Patti!" Kid cried. He hadn't said a word about Ame all day. Now that he thought about it, Ame had been quiet for a while now. He glanced to his right; he hoped she wasn't getting motion sick. This was her first time travelling in a moving vehicle. Ame fell against him. The others grinned at this, which didn't make Kid feel any better. "Get off of me*!"

Ame snapped upright with a sniff before rubbing her eyes and yawning. Kid relaxed a little.

"Oh, you were just sleeping," he realized quietly, patting her head. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"I had a dream," Ame murmured. "The teacher killed himself because he saw a wolf in the classroom."

The others deadpanned. She looked like she'd been sleeping so peacefully!

"I'm sorry," Ame turned to Kid. "I tried my best not to lean on you."

"I hate it when that happens," Tsubaki sympathized. "You'd be on a bus or train and you'd try not to lean on other people, but it happens anyway."

"Whenever I start falling asleep, I try leaning to the empty side too," Maka agreed.

"But you always end up leaning on me," Soul complained. "And drooling on my shoulder."

"Shut up Soul."

"I don't know why that happens," Liz admitted. "Maybe we all have a favorite side we like to lean on?"

"But then if we switch sides," Maka explained. "I still end up leaning towards Soul."

"Do you think when it's cold it's because you want something warm to lean on?" Tsubaki suggested.

"Perhaps," Kid sighed, getting to his feet as the train came to a stop. He grabbed a bag from the rack above them. "We're here."

The house was a large two-story building. It was surrounded by forest, a creek, and a beach on the east side.

"Nice place!" Liz exclaimed, shading her eyes with her hands.

"Hey, why don't we get this stuff upstairs and go to the beach?" Kid suggested. He hadn't planned in advance what to do to entertain his guests, so he tried to get them occupied as soon as possible.

"Sounds good!" the others agreed.

Once at the beach, they all ran right to the water.

"The water!" Maka cheered.

"It's so cool!" Tsubaki agreed.

"Hey, quit splashing!"

"Ame, hurry up! Come on!" Kid shouted back at the wolf, who hesitated. It just dawned on him that she had never seen a beach before. She stared at the ocean and the sand in wonder, her lips parting in a wide grin. She bolted across the sand and towards the water. "I'm so happy!" Then she noticed the giant wave coming towards her. "No, I'm not."

She played the classic game of run towards the water, run away from the water, for quite some time before Kid gave in and took her by the arm and walked her in himself. She was so childish, but it was cute, too.

Ame sank below so that only her head was showing. She stayed like that for a while. She was just about to get out of the water and join the others on land when she felt as if something were pulling on her. Ame shook slightly, digging her feet into the sand and trying to walk back. She was caught however, and slipped beneath the water. She raised her head above the water as the others got farther and farther away.

"Ame!" she heard someone call. "Get out of the water!"

"Too late," Kid said. "She's caught in the undertow."

The current didn't let up and Ame felt her feet slide off the ledge. Her head dunked under water again.

"Amaterasu," she heard a voice say. "Be careful; there is danger in the water."

"Nuregami, help," Ame thought as she clawed at the water. She thought she saw something next to her and turned her head. She didn't know what it was; it looked like a large bubble with eight long legs almost like a water spider. Ame flinched as it wrapped its tentacles around her and swatted it away.

When her head rose above the water again, Kid was pulling her into a small boat. Ame curled up in his arms, shaking with fear.

"Kid! I was… scared," she cried into his chest. Kid rubbed her back gently.

"Why?" he asked. Ame sniffled and pulled away to look at him. "I'd never let anything happen to you."

Ame blinked at him once before lowering her gaze to her injured hand. Kid followed her gaze and frowned.

"Looks like you got stung by something," he said as he began rowing back to shore.

Once on land, the others were relieved to see Ame was okay.

"I don't think I've ever seen Kid row that fast," Liz told her.

"What happened to your hand?" Tsubaki asked.

"She got stung by a jellyfish," Kid said, taking Ame's hand gently in his.

"Jelly… fish?" Ame asked, tilting her head.

"It's an invertebrate that resides in these parts of the ocean," Kid explained. As he continued to tell her all he knew about the sea creature, Ame tuned him out and thought about the name. Jelly on a fish? How about grape on tuna? Since apple butter is gross and such….

"Listen, Ame," Kid chided, patting her on the head. He spoke clearly and concisely and with small words. "You tell me if you start to feel sick, okay?"

Ame blushed and smacked his hand away.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Stop treating me like a child!" she hissed.

"But she was fine with it a minute ago," Kid thought desperately.

"I'm going to relax by the tide pools," Ame said, turning and leaving. Behind the rocks, no one could see her as she laid down on her stomach and dipped her hand into the soothing water. Something moved a few feet away and she tensed, remembering her fight with the jellyfish. It squirmed some more and Ame lunged at it. She threw it over the rocks and out into the open where the others could watch her. She jumped after it, landing on its head so hard that it made a sharp snapping sound before going completely still. She looked at her kill and tilted her head.

"Can I eat it?" she asked, eyeing cautiously. Kid sweat-dropped, a thousand thoughts running through his head.

"She killed it. She killed it with her teeth. She wants to eat it; of course she wants to eat it—that's her first question for everything. She's so careless."

He decided to remain silent.

"You caught dinner!" Tsubaki praised.

Ame hunted lobster along the coast until sunset, catching crabs and lobsters and shrimp and piling them by the blanket while the others prepared the food.

"Ame! You've caught enough; come eat!" Kid called. Ame perked and bounded to sit with the others, wagging her tail happily.

"Good work, Ame," Soul praised. Ame smirked and snapped a crab's leg in half. She snapped it too hard, however since the meat inside tore in half. Ame stared at her mishap nervously. Now how was she going to get it?

She snapped the leg again, this time successfully slipping the shell off the meat. She gasped excitedly and gobbled up the soft meat, wagging her tail. The sun was setting by the time they had finished their meal.

"I don't think I could eat another bite," Maka said.

"I'm kind of sleepy now," Tsubaki admitted.

Ame was just licking the butter off her fingers when she saw another crab scurrying by the blanket. She coiled and lunged without thinking, her tired legs locking underneath her so that she fell flat on her face. The crab, startled, clipped Ame on the nose with its claws before running in the opposite direction. Ame got to her knees, whimpering in pain.

"Ame, you're bleeding!"

"You should be more careful."

Kid knelt in front of her and took her hands away from her face to look at the injury. He sighed and pinched her nose. Ame blushed and replaced her hands again.

"Why are you such a glutton?" Kid asked.

***How many times has he said that in the fanfiction? I'll give a reward to anyone who take time to count.**


	43. Chapter 43

Ame, Soul, Liz, Patti, Blackstar, and Tsubaki awoke later than Maka and Kid, still in pajamas and enjoying sleeping in.

"Bout time the rest of you got up," Maka greeted.

"What's for breakfast today, Dad?" Patti asked, skipping up to Kid and giving him a good morning hug. Kid smiled, blushing slightly at her behavior. Then again, he was used to it.

"Playing house, are we?" he asked. Ame's ears perked from where she was pouting in the corner. She looked back at Kid as he began explaining the meal to them.

"Kid is the… dad…." She thought.

Whilst lost in odd fantasies, she inched towards Kid, fiddling with her fingers nervously. "Um… Dad?"

"What is it?" Kid asked, smiling and turning to look at her. "Mom?"

Ame was on the floor next thing he knew, smacking the floor with her tiny palm. Patti couldn't help but laugh; it reminded her of Kid's little fits whenever he sees something asymmetrical. Kid sweat-dropped.

Best Days of Summer; Playing House? Making Progress? The Life Room?

The food was ready soon and the group began eating immediately.

"Now that morning Madness is over," Kid prompted.

"I had a dream last night," Ame said. "I don't remember quite what it was about, but I think there's something really important we have to do soon."

"Something important?" Kid asked. Her selective memory wasn't very helpful. He tried helping her remember. "Did it have to do with Nuregami?"

Ame considered it. "Well, Nuregami is very weak; almost the weakest of the gods. It's like being gone for almost a thousand years is taking its toll on them."

"I thought their power returned when you connected the constellations," Liz said.

"Yes, but as a god, you need followers and offerings," Ame explained. "For Shinigami, all souls harvested in their honor are an offering. Think about it; what would a Shinigami become if they stopped collecting souls?"

"That makes sense," Tsubaki nodded uncertainly.

"However, we require things that are easier to acquire like money and…" Ame trailed off, mumbling something under her breath that the others didn't quite catch.

"What was that?"

"Money," Ame replied. "And… *mumble, mumble*"

"Money and…?" Blackstar prompted.

"Food," Ame arrogantly replied, looking away.

"Ame," Kid addressed in a reprimanding tone. "Have you been cheating offerings out of me?"

"…."

"YOU HAVE, HAVEN'T YOU?!"

"…" nod, nod. "…. Are you angry?"

"No," Kid sighed, patting her on the head and eliciting a squeak. "You still need to live, and there's no shame in tricking it out of me. Me, but no one else."

"Aw," Patti said.

"He's totally claiming her," Liz whispered. "Like a wild animal."

"Elizabeth?" Kid interrupted their laughter. "Please control your behavior. We're at the table. Anyway, Ame, what were you going to do for these gods?"

"I was going to build a shrine by the hot spring," Ame replied.

"Hot spring?" Tsubaki asked.

"Ah, you're talking about the onsen nearby," Kid nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "That's too bad. I wanted to surprise you, but I guess it's all for not with a prophet in the house."

"I saw it," Ame's tone became slightly dreamier. "Eight steaming pools of fresh water in the mountains not too far from here. That's where they get the hot water. They are divine pools; that's why the onsen is the best in the world.=ω="

"That's right," Kid thought to himself. "Hanagami, the monkey god of land and plants, gave her a sort of clairvoyant ability to see landscapes at her reach. As long as it's a natural plain, Ame can map it out. She's probably just seeing something Hanagami is showing her."

"I guess we could try," Kid said. "Whatever you wanted to see, I'm sure we wouldn't want to miss it."

"Awright!" Ame cheered, jumping to her feet. "We will be proceeding in a…" she spun around in an uneasy circle. She pointed in a random direction. "That way direction!"

Soul Eater

There was an old path leading up the mountain she'd been talking about. Every so often, the eight of them saw a small pillar with ribbons on it. At the top of the path, there was a tall Japanese gate, the gold paint not chipped or faded despite its unmistakable age. Ame stepped through it hesitantly, feeling as if something was there.

"This is a weird gate," Soul commented. "Do you think someone's been here before?"

"Not recently," Maka said. "This path must be centuries old."

Ame felt the ground level out beneath her feet. She looked around. There were eight perfectly circular pools, as she had described, organized in a perfect circle. Kid was impressed at the architecture.

"It's magnificent!" he cried. "Eight perfectly symmetrical ponds in a perfect circle! This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen!"

"I think we've lost him," Liz grumbled.

There was a platform in the middle. It was made of stone and overgrown with moss. Ame stood on its surface and bounced on her heels. The ground felt oddly… hollow.

"Ame, what are you doing?"

"Stand back," Ame said, jumping off the platform and spreading her arms out melodramatically. The others did as she said and she drew a cherry bomb on the center of the cracked platform.

The platform went up in flames, creating several stiff stone slates to stick up out of the ground unnaturally. Kid stared at the cave-like structure in horror before sinking to his knees. She ruined the symmetry.

"Damn it, Ame," he whispered as Ame bobbed her head back and forth proudly. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the room. It was actually perfectly circular, and the floor was a perfect circle divided into thirteen sections.

"It looks like a… clock," Maka said, tilting her head and looking at the floor. Strange patterns decorated the far edges of the sections.

"It's a Zodiac clock," Ame nodded. She seemed psyched about something. "This will make it easy to find the constellations."

"This must be the core," Kid added. He was surprised at his inability to make sense. He was just as surprised as the others. "The congregating place for all the Zodiac gods in this world. The gate to the Divine Realm."

"And look at this," Ame brought their attention to the center of the room. "This is an Infinity Mirror. Remember the gods of life and death are connected through a mirror? You can use infinity mirrors to contact anyone you need to in order to save your progress in a dungeon. Those golden gates we saw coming in—those are important too. When you walk through them, the gods are automatically aware of your whereabouts."

"Ame, this is…."

"The Life Room," Blackstar finished.

Ame stepped up to the mirror and drew an infinity sign on it. "Let's see if it still works."

The crystalline surface glowed a bright white before clearing away and revealing a familiar figure.

"Hey, Lucky Eight!" Lord Death greeted. "Enjoying your vacation?"

"Hi, Lord Death!"

"Where are you, anyway? I can't see you that well."

"We're in the Life Room," Blackstar replied.

"We found the Zodiac clock," Ame reported. "We're calling on the Infinity mirror."

"You actually found it? Ikiru hasn't even been there for years. I remember when she lived in a village on the other side of the mountain and she'd share her days with the gods when they were still strong. The village was called 'Ikiru' for Life; it was her home, but when Arachne did her thing, blah, blah, redundant, the goddess left the village and never came back."

"Yomigami destroyed this clock per her request," Ame added. "I'm not sure how I know that; I guess she's kind of predictable to me."

"Ame, you know that demon lullaby you're always singing?" Lord Death asked. Ame blushed slightly. She sang it out loud?!

"Y-yes."

"It originated in Ikiru Village," Lord Death explained. "I remember Ikiru would sing it to the children that tried to follow her up the mountain."

Ame's ears moved and she smiled. She liked that a lot.

They hung up and piled some rocks next to Nuregami's panel of the clock. Ame knelt before the 'shrine' respectively and bowed.

"I'll bring you some incense soon," she said. The eight children left then.

"That felt like a productive day," Maka remarked as they began walking down the mountain.

"Ame, what song was he talking about?" Liz asked.

"Edo no Kimori Uta," Ame replied. "It's a traditional Japanese lullaby, but my mom changed the lyrics a bit."

"Let's hear it," Kid encouraged quietly. Ame nodded and raised her head.

"Sleep my child, my dear child,

For you deserve your rest,

Bear in mind, whatever path we take

We'll see the village.

On our way back to the village, know which way to go,

For if we lose our way in the mountains,

We'll meet a demon."

**I goofed off a bit in this one, so if you look really hard, you can find a little Konata face. Find it, and you may receive a special reward. Here's what it should look like: =ω=**


	44. Chapter 44

Once they got back to the house, they made some dinner.

"I hope you all like it," Kid said, putting some fresh meat on a plate. They were having barbeque kabobs tonight. "I've never made food like this before. I'm almost too scared to try it."

Ame's ears perked again. She lifted a bit of meat with her chopsticks.

"Kiddo," she snapped. Kid blinked and turned his head. Ame lifted her chopsticks close to his face and opened her mouth. "Nyaaaahmm~"

Kid ate the food she offered him. "You're right. It is pretty good."

He turned back to the others and continued the conversation. Ame's ears twitched and she picked up another bite with her chopsticks.

"Kiddo," she said, her small body moving with every syllable.

"What is it?" Kid asked, turning to face her again. She offered the food.

"Nyaaaaaaahm…."

Kid ate what she offered again, smiling at her cuteness. She was overdoing it ever so slightly.

"So, anyway," he turned to the others. Ame's ears flicked again and she repeated her little ritual.

"Kiddo."

"What?" Kid looked at her, not quite annoyed yet in spite of her constant interrupting.

"Nyam."

"Ame," Liz said quietly. The others paused. "You haven't eaten anything."

Ame blushed and turned back to her plate. She suddenly began eating everything her chopsticks could reach at an alarming pace.

"Well, leave some for us!"

Summer Vacation 3; Ame and Her Merry Friends?

After dinner, the girls began cleaning the kitchen.

"I'm stuffed," Liz sighed contently.

"I couldn't eat another bite," Patti agreed.

"I think I ate too much," Tsubaki admitted sheepishly.

"Me too," Maka agreed.

"My tummy's sticking out slightly," Ame said.

"Let's see," Maka said playfully, sneaking up next to Ame and feeling of her stomach. She gasped and the other girls, including Ame, froze and turned to her. "It moved. Kid's going to be a father!"

The boys were just making their way back to the main house from the bath house when a large, screaming object was suddenly thrown out of the house and at their feet.

"NOTHING MOVED!" Ame screamed.

"Ow," a voice whispered.

"Maka?" Soul questioned.

"I am on the brink of death," Maka choked out. "Remind me never to get on Ame's maternal side."

"What are you talking about?" Kid tried to sound calm.

"It was just a playful joke, Kid. No biggie."

The girls took a bath next. The guys hung out in the living room, the TV played a random show in the background.

"So, Kid, truth or dare?" Soul asked.

"I don't like the looks of this," Kid muttered.

"Whatever," Soul retorted. "I can't believe you haven't even kissed her yet. I mean, she almost died in your arms; that's a totally appropriate moment!"

"No, it's an obligatory moment," Blackstar interrupted.

"Better be careful using big words like that, Blackstar."

"Darn it, you guys," Kid snapped. "What would you have me do anyway?"

"I think you know."

"Forget it."

"We're back from the bath!" Maka announced, walking into the room with the other girls. They were all dressed in their pajamas. They all sat around the room with the others. Ame had a towel in her hands and was trying to dry her white hair.

"Your hair is getting long, Ame," Tsubaki complimented.

"Bleh," Ame stuck her tongue out. "I want to cut it."

"Don't do that," Kid interjected calmly. "I like it when it's long."

"But I want it to be short like yours," Ame muttered, puffing out her cheeks and hiding her face in her towel bashfully.

"Come here," Kid said, sitting behind her and holding up a hair dryer. "I'll dry it for you."

Ame got super excited to hear this. She sat very still as Kid held a lock of her hair under the hot air. It was nice and warm and felt good. Ame sighed in pleasure, tilting her head back and yawning.

"Honyaaaaaaah~!"

Kid smiled and repositioned the dryer to blow on a lock behind her ear. Ame tensed, gritting her teeth together. She didn't like that at all. After a moment, she got so angry that she leapt out and attacked the first person she saw—Liz.

"BAKAAAAH!"

"WHY ME?!"

"Oops… sorry."

Soul Eater

Maka was one of the first people up. She got dressed and headed to the kitchen for a little something to eat. She saw Kid was already up, making breakfast for everyone.

"Good morning, Kid," she greeted.

"Good morning," Kid replied.

"You're always up so early," Maka observed. "Do you need any help?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Kid said, handing her a glass of orange juice.

"I insist," Maka said, taking a gulp and setting the glass down on the counter. She reached for a few plates and began setting the table. "You're always up so early so you can cook breakfast; I never imagined you cooking obsessively like this."

"Well, I didn't used to do it so obsessively," Kid explained. Maka paused and eyed him inquiringly. "I only recently started when Ame began living with us. She's hungry all the time, so I imagine she's a real bitch if she doesn't get fed."

Maka began laughing. "I guess you're right. But it's been longer than you think."

Kid blinked at her in confusion.

"Ame's been with you for almost five months now," Maka said with a gentle smile. "We met her last September."

"It's been almost a year," Kid realized. "I guess time flies, doesn't it? It's hard to believe so much has happened in such a short time."

"Yeah," Maka agreed. "It's almost as if we have nothing left to do. All the ties to the past seem to have vanished or been revealed by now."

"Yes," Kid agreed. "But new threats will always rise up, so don't get too comfortable."

"I guess so," Maka smirked at him. "But as long as we have each other, it's going to be a promising life."


	45. Chapter 45

Ame avoided clichés like the plague. She was Life in love with Death. That was only one thing that made her unpredictable in the minds of her friends. Other factors are involved; all in all, Ame is a very interesting… unexpected change in their lives.

A Day in the Life of Life; Is It Always Like This?!

Kid, Liz, Patti, and Ame were passing time watching television one night. It was some romantic comedy that Liz and Patti liked to watch. Liz went to the kitchen to get snacks, but when she got back, Kid was staring blankly at the TV like he had been all night. Ame was by his side, chomping on the flesh of his arm. Liz shivered.

"Kid, your arm!" she cried in shock. Kid blinked and looked down as if he hadn't noticed Ame chewing on him.

"Oh, it's alright," Kid smiled at Liz. "She's biting very gently, so I can't really feel it."

"O-okay…."

"She's kind of like a small animal isn't she?" Patti asked. Ame raised her head, her eyes bleary. "She like Kid's pet."

"My what?!" Kid jumped back. "Patti, that's not… it's not like that."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think Kid had a Lolita complex," Liz said thoughtfully.

"Excuse me?!"

"Well, Ame's still such a child and all. I mean, I know you can't really help it, but still."

"What's Lolita?" Ame asked Kid. He sweat-dropped.

Ame didn't get her answer that night.

Justin Law was standing in front of Lord Death in the Death Room. He'd come a long way after the Spider Queen was finally defeated, as many had, but Justin was probably the first to get there.

"Is it true that Kid and his friends finally defeated Arachne?" he asked.

"No," Lord Death replied. "They were a big help, and it couldn't have been achieved without them, but Arachne's death was the doing of Inochigami-sama's daughter, Amaterasu."

"Inochigami… sama?" Justin questioned.

After hearing everything that had to be said about Amaterasu, Justin stood in front of the school with a rosary in his hand. He knew that the children were on vacation and they probably wouldn't be back for a while, but he was determined to stand there, praying, until the benevolent Amaterasu appeared before him.

"Oh benevolent goddess," he prayed. "For the deeds you have committed in the name of justice, You deserve every ounce of praise that resides in our mortal flesh. Appear before me, Amaterasu, and my life shall be complete."

"What's his problem?" Spirit asked.

"He thinks Ame is a full-blown Divine Entity," Stein explained, laughing slightly.

"I see," Spirit sweat-dropped. "Don't you think Lord Death would have given him a better explanation that that?" He looked at Stein again. "Hey, aren't the kids back from their vacation about now?"

"Yeah, so?"

"And isn't Ame attracted to prayers?"

"Yeah, so?" There was a pause and Stein glanced at Spirit. "Oh."

As Justin continued to pray, Ame soon came walking along, minding her own business and being oblivious to his prayer.

"And that's why you should never talk to strangers," she said. She paused and turned to Justin. "Isn't that right, person I've never seen before in my life? Hello."

Justin didn't sense her presence, probably because his eyes were closed and he was, of course, listening to music. Ame didn't like being ignored and promptly head-bashed him.

"I SAID HELLO!"

"Did god just strike me down?" Justin wondered to himself as he stared at the sky from where he was lying on the ground.

"You bet she did!" Ame shouted angrily. "Don't you know you're supposed to look for people you're praying to?!"

Justin blinked and got to his feet, looking at her with wide eyes. He seemed shocked. This little child was the benevolent Amaterasu?

"You're… Amaterasu?"

Ame blinked. She remembered him from somewhere. "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"Forgive me," he bowed slightly. "I am Justin Law, a death scythe. I was visiting the academy when I heard rumors of your feat against Arachne. I wish to give you my thanks."

"Ha!" Ame giggled. She looked even more childish now with her ears (which were ever so slightly too large for her head) plushing about and her tail wagging happily. "You don't have to do any of that. I don't know what you heard, but whoever told you was wrong. No one even knows of me; you don't have to do that."

"Actually, Amaterasu," a voice rang out in Ame's head. She recognized it as her mother's. "Now that you're using so much of this power, you should acquire some renown. This strength isn't free, you know."

"Ugh, it's like Kid in my head," Ame thought, shaking the voice away.

Justin thought about her words. Didn't she deserve better? A moment of silence passed, interrupted by another person joining them.

"Ame!" Kid barked, running towards her. "How many times do I have to tell you not to wander off?"

"Wander off? But I remembered what you said and I spent the entire time thinking about how I shouldn't talk to strangers," Ame smiled at him. Kid was ticked. He flicked her forehead.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to space out?"

"Meow!" Ame snapped, putting a hand against her forehead. Kid looked up.

"Sorry if she interrupted, annoyed, or harmed you in any way," Kid apologized to Justin, pulling Ame's hair as she tried clawing at him. "She's socially inept. She's pretty much everything inept. She's ineptness personified."

"Please, Amaterasu, I insist," Justin pressed. "Let me do something to show my gratitude to you."

"Hey, don't ignore me!" Kid snapped. Ame stopped clawing and turned around to face Justin immediately.

"Well, if you insist, then a good meal would suffice," she replied with a grin. Kid grabbed either side of her head and ground his knuckles against her skull.

"Ame, mind your manners!" he chided. Ame whimpered, reaching out blindly.

"Hau-au-au-ow!" she squeaked.

Soul Eater

There are also the times that Ame randomly picks a nickname for a person. Kid was gathering his books after class whilst Ame waited in the doorway for him.

"Kyo-chan!" she called. "Kyo-chan!"

"What?" some random students whispered. "Who's Kyo-chan? Is he new?"

"What is that lunatic doing now?" Kid wondered. "Are you calling me?"

"Yeah, don't you like your new nickname?" Ame grinned, meeting him and the others at the door.

"No," Kid snapped. "It's confusing, so stop it."

Ame pouted. "But don't you want to have a hard-core nickname that I can call you?"

Kid thought about it for a moment and smirked evilly. "How about Shinigami-sama?"

The next day, the same thing happened.

"Hey, Shinigami-sama!" Ame shouted. Kid tensed.

"Oh no," he thought. "She's using it!"

"Okay…" a random student mumbled. "Did she just call him Shinigami-sama?"

Kid ran towards Ame and put his hands on either side of her obviously damaged head. "Listen, Ame… you can call me whatever you like, just please don't use Shinigami-sama again, okay?"

"So what about these nicknames?" Liz asked.

"You're really going to encourage her like that?!" Kid demanded. "I outta disown you!"

"I don't know," Soul said. "Our names are hard to work with."

"True," Ame thought about it. "I always call Blair Neko-chan, so that's what got me thinking about it. I guess I make nicknames for people so I don't feel bad when I forget their names," Ame admitted. The others stiffened.

"You forget our names?"

Ame opened her eyes. "What?"

"That would explain why you never use our real names as a basis for the nicknames," Soul muttered. "I saw you calling Miss Marie onee-chan-sensei just the other day."

"And you call Professor Stein 'Stein-hakase,'" Tsubaki added. "'-hakase' would mean 'doctor' or 'professor,' but when you say it, it sounds like a pet name."

"I guess I do, Hana-chan," Ame agreed.

"Don't start with her!"

"What would your cutesy nickname be?" Tsubaki asked Ame.

"I-I don't know," Ame mumbled, fiddling with her skirt.

"Not Girl, that's for sure," Blackstar muttered, to which Ame aggressively snapped.

"How about Kami-chama?" Maka laughed.

"I'd go with your divine position, but Oka-san is totally weird!"

"I know!" Ame laughed. She turned to Kid. "You know, your dad calls me Donkeyskin sometimes."

Kid stopped walking, as did the others. Ame sweat-dropped.

"E-uh—you know, Donkeyskin. Like the Donkeyskin girl?"

"Why would he call you something like that?" Kid seethed, disgusted at such a name.

"Well, there's an old story about a king whose wife died and he promised to marry the finest maiden in the land, but that turned out to be his daughter, so she wore a donkey skin to hide her beauty. Soon another man came along who could see her beauty behind the donkey skin and married her and they lived happily ever after."

"Of course."

Kid thought about it for a moment, remembering something Ame said once.

"I'm not really a mother; I'm more like… you know… a really good sister!*"

He smiled softly, turning to look at Ame and cross his arms.

"How about Mei-mei? It's Chinese-based for sister and it sounds derived from your real name."

Ame paused, raising a hand to stroke her left eye. She smiled at him. "I like it."

"So, did you all enjoy your vacation?" Lord Death asked Kid later that day.

"Yes," Kid replied. "It was very enjoyable for all of us. Ame had a good time, and I think it was nice to just hang out with her and the others after all that happened over the last couple of months. I felt kind of disconnected as a wolf."

"I'm glad you're back, Kid," Lord Death agreed. "And I bet Ame is too."

"Speaking of Ame," Kid decided to say now before he forgot. "Why do you call her Donkeyskin? We were talking about it earlier, and it just sounded kind of random."

"Well, you know how she used the donkey skin to trick people into seeing her as ugly?" Lord Death began explaining. "Well, Ame is able to use a power that hides her Lines of Sanzu, thus hiding that she's a god. Normal people just see her as an ordinary wolf or a normal girl. However, you are able to see through that and not only accept her for being a god, but also for her true being."

"Oh, come on," Kid's cheeks turned a light, dusty seashell pink. "Let up, will you?"

"Huh? What's the matter, Kiddo?" Lord Death was having fun embarrassing him. Kid blushed even more.

"I take it you saw what happened?" Kid said quietly, looking at the floor.

"Yes, I saw all of it," he replied. "Are you ashamed?"

"What?!" Kid snapped his head up. "Of course not."

"Well, good!" Lord Death sang. "I'd hate for you to start pushing her away again after that."

There was a slight pause. There was something else on Kid's mind entirely.

"Uh… Dad?" Kid mumbled. "Do you think I have a Lolita complex?"

?

Liz and Patti were kind of surprised to hear this.

"It's kind of cool that he can talk to his dad about things like this," Liz thought. "A few years ago, Kid wouldn't tell his dad anything."

"A Lolita complex?" Lord Death asked. Kid's face was bright red.

"You know Ame; she's so childish," Kid continued. "And you know, since we're… you know… to…getting…hurt….**"

"I guess I understand," Lord Death thought about it for a moment. "And then there's Patti living in the same household as well. But I would put it more like you also have a Lolita complex; you like normal girls too. Like Liz, right?"

"I guess it's not really like that between Liz and I," Kid admitted. There was a moment of silence. "Girls, will you go find Ame? I'm sure she's in some kind of trouble right now."

"Oh, okay, Kid," Liz nodded and steered her sister toward the door. She then turned and whispered in her sister's ear, "He's feeling weird about us hearing this."

"Ooooooh," Patti nodded.

"Maybe if I wait just a bit longer," Kid supposed. "Maybe she'll grow up a bit?"

"Well, Kid, she did have her growth spurt while she was gone," Lord Death countered. "And she's an adult in wolf years; that being her original genetic code, she probably won't grow again until something happens such as she connects her three stripes, perhaps?"

"That's not good enough," Kid muttered, obviously distressed. "The way Ame acts, I'm constantly giving her constructive criticism; I'm more like her parent. But it's awkward because she plays mother sometimes too. God, I feel so perverted!"

"You know what a little kitten told Ame? Life's tough," he chuckled, patting his son's head. Kid snapped his head up and nailed him with a death glare.

"Did Ikiru look young for her age?"

"Wait a minute, when did the conversation go this direction?"

"Well, did she?" a small grin played on Kid's face as he laced his fingers under his chin.

"No, not really; not that I wasn't mature, but when Ikiru left, I had to cut loose a bit."

"I guess I knew that," Kid sighed. He looked back up at his father with an unfathomable expression. "Hey, Dad, what was Ikiru like?"

"Why so curious about her all of a sudden?" Lord Death asked. Kid looked away.

"I guess I just don't know much about her is all," Kid grumbled. He decided to drop it; his father probably didn't want to talk about it, but… it felt kind of fair. Lord Death had secrets of his own and things he didn't want to share. Bringing Ikiru up was a bad idea.

"Well, for starters, she was a bit like you."

Kid looked up. "She… was?"

"She was very proper, and strived to make the world a good place for humans to live in peace. She was… born with a certain gracefulness within her. She had the wisdom of an elder, the innocence of a child, and the beauty of a goddess. She was upset to leave when she did; she was afraid of what the world would become. It wasn't like when death was driven out. I hated seeing her so sad; the tears just wouldn't stop."

"I-I'm sorry," Kid stuttered.

"But she lifted her chin and gave me a big smile. She said that we would meet again; however, I haven't seen her since. I wonder if she's even alive anymore."

"But I saw her just a few months ago," Kid interjected. "She's not at all like anyone's saying. All this about her being kind and stuff."

"What do you mean?"

"She threatened my life," Kid shuddered.

"That's the Ikiru I knew…."

***Brought up in later chapters to come.**

** ******To****get****ting ****her****t**


	46. Chapter 46

Ame was walking around town like she always did. There was no one who needed help today. Ame sighed in boredom and headed to the forest. Her brothers were out there somewhere and they would surely have some adventure planned for her. The trio of wolves had been running along the edges of the city for a while when a random light began to glow on their shining coats. Ame looked up. It was kind of early for a constellation.

She drew in the final star and the pattern created a sheep with a flask of sake on her back.

"Kasugami!" Ame shouted. "She's the sheep god of time. I wonder why I'm not blinking out, though."

A bright vortex was created in the sky, as if the Divine Realm was imploding. A small beam like a shooting star shot from the vortex and crashed onto the ground. Ame eyed where the star landed a few feet away… to realize it was a little white and red wolf cub.

"Oh, you poor thing!" she squealed, jumping off her brother's back and running to the small puppy. It looked familiar! "Are you alright?"

The wolf blinked and sniffled, looking up at her with beautiful golden eyes. They looked like Kid's eyes. The little wolf cub suddenly had a human form; she was small and pudgy with long white hair and a small, fluffy tail with a black tip.

"Mother?" she whimpered, tilting her head. Ame deadpanned.

"Huh?"

The Drunken Deity's Mishap; The Child of the Gods?!

"E-eh… um… yeah, yeah," Ame smiled and nodded. "Yes, Chibi-chan."

"Ame!" Nagi snapped.

"Oh, Nagi!" Ame disputed, scooping the child up in her arms. "This is clearly just a mistake. Kasu probably got a bit drunk and created a paradox; no biggie."

"This cub thinks you're her mom!" Rin argued. "That's pretty bad!"

"We'll return her before sunset," Ame countered.

"What about Kid?"

"We're not telling him!" Ame shot back. In her arms, Chibiterasu began crying.

"I'm hungry!" she wailed. Ame panicked slightly.

"I know, I know," she hushed him, rocking her. "I'm hungry too. Why don't we go home and have lunch, okay?"

Chiniterasu sniffled and nodded, wiping her eyes with her hand. Ame knew it was more than hunger that made her cry. She was just glad everyone in the city was relatively passive and happy today. Ame hoisted the child onto her back and began carrying her back home. Nagi and Rin stared at her for a moment. This was wrong; their little sister seemed to fit the part of a mother uncannily well. Ame blinked at them.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Whatever. Stay here; I don't want any extra attention today."

Chibi fell asleep by the time they reached Gallows. Ame refrained from pinching her; she was so cute! She put her at the table and gave her some rice and fruit, which she snacked on greedily. She wasn't a picky eater.

"So, tell me, Chibiterasu," Ame said. "Tell your mama where we come from."

"A village," Chibi replied. "You just defeated a demon yesterday to protect your people because that's what we're supposed to do. And Death isn't bad. Everyone just thinks he is."

"That's right," Ame smiled proudly at her, stroking her ears softly. "And your father is going to kill me."

Her ears perked and she panicked again when she heard the other three come home. She ran out to meet Kid before he could find Chibi.

"Kid! I have terrible news!" she shouted.

"What?" Kid didn't seem all that interested.

"We're parents!"

Kid dropped his jacket and books. He turned to Ame with an unimaginable look of horror on his face. "What?"

"Daddy!" Chibi shouted, running around Ame and hugging Kid. Kid stared at Ame in absolute shock.

"Ame?!" He looked at the child in his arms, then back at her. "What did you do?!"

"What did _you_ do?" Liz asked of Kid.

"This isn't the time, Liz," he interrupted her. "Ame, what is the meaning of this?"

"She's not really ours," Ame said in a rush. "She sort of fell from the sky when Kasugami was released."

"What are we supposed to do?! We're in the middle of a paradox here!" Liz shouted in panic.

"Here, let me take her…" Ame offered. She knew Kid wasn't good with children.

"….It's alright," Kid said to everybody. He took a deep breath, and the others followed. "We need to get her back to her own time. We need to talk to my father."

Kid looked back down at Chibiterasu. She had his eyes…. She was kind of cute, like Ame, in a sense. Her fluffy ears plushed a couple of times as she stared at Kid. Chibi soon got a bit bored of their staring game and hopped out of his arms, skipping over to Ame. Ame picked her up and nodded approvingly at Kid.

Soul Eater

Kid and Ame ran into the Death Room with Chibiterasu in tow.

"Father, we have something to tell you—!"

REAPER FREAKING CHOP!

Chibi cringed, running behind Ame just before she was Reaper Freaking Chopped as well.

"Mama!"

"AME! KID!" Lord Death shouted, enraged. "I thought you two would know better than to have a child at this age! Especially you, Kid. I understand Ame must be older for her years, but you're still just a child. I'm ashamed of you. I always told you not to get attractive women pregnant or else you would end up like him!"

He pointed an accusing finger at Spirit.

"She's not ours!" Kid cried.

"Oh?" Lord Death turned to Chibi, who refrained from cowering. "Tell me, what is your mother's name?"

"Amaterasu."

"What?!" Ame squealed. "No way! Ahem, leave her alone," Ame's tone turned to a growl as she ushered the child behind her protectively. "She's not my child, she's AMATERASU's child. The first one. I found Kasugami, the god of time, but she was a bit drunk, and created a paradox."

"I see…." Lord Death took a deep breath and calmed down. "Goodness, don't scare me like that, Kid."

"Don't be so relieved! This is still a paradox!"

"What do we do?" Ame asked. "I tried contacting Kasu again, but she's totally out of it. She wouldn't know a flapjack from a flyswatter in this state."

"Then you'll just have to take care of Chibiterasu until then," Lord Death replied. "Wait until the sun sets, then use your Golden Lucky Cat to summon her."

"Got it," Ame nodded.

So they took her home. They were careful not to be seen by anyone; rumors spread like wildfire in this city and people were already starting to assume Kid had a Lolita complex. Chibi had fun playing games with the twin sisters. Ame and Kid watched them playing from the couch.

"This is bad," Kid fretted.

"Don't say stuff like that in front of her," Ame chided, picking Chibi up as she began yawning. "Can't you be a little more compassionate? I get that kids aren't really your thing, but still."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Kid apologized. "But it makes me feel better knowing that you can take care of her. You're kind of cute when you play mother, you know that?"

Ame blushed profusely, bleeding from the nose.

"I-I'm not really a mother; more of a… um… big sister! Yeah!"

She left Chibi on the couch and ran to get some food. She was probably just going to get herself some tissues. Kid watched after her for a moment, but gasped as he felt Chibi crawl into his lap. No child ever willingly came to him like that. He was scary and hostile; he was death. However, Chibi seemed perfectly content with him. She yawned.

"Hey, don't just fall asleep like that," Kid chided quietly. "You're just as careless as Ame."

He stared at her for another minute and sighed, petting Chibi on the head in a fatherly way. To the side of the room, the mirror giggled. Kid looked up in shock to see his own father spying on him through the mirror.

"That's so cute! I feel so old watching this~!"

"Dad!" Kid complained.

"Me too!" a second voice said.

"Well that's cute," a third voice said.

"Oh, hello, Professor—"

"STEIN-HAKASE!" Ame screamed, making Kid and Chibi jump. She jumped in front of the mirror and waved her arms around like a duck. "I put strawberry jam in your office again! Go take care of it!"

"Will you quit acting nuts in front of our child?!" Kid demanded, taken aback by his own use of the word 'child'. "I-I mean, Chibi probably doesn't need your madness wavelengths in her brain. She needs to go home now."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were getting a bit attached to Chibiterasu," Lord Death continued.

"No, not at all," Kid lied. "She's just not ours is all. We need to return her in top condition."

"I think we all agree you two could use a few more years anyway," Spirit said, smiling at them.

"A few more decades, you horrible excuse of a parent," Lord Death muttered, chopping him on the head. "Anyway, you two should be going now."

"Right."

Kid and Ame were making their way out of Death City and up the small hill to the cherry blossom tree. Ame was carrying Chibi on her back, singing to him softly. Kid kind of expected her to be singing the demon lullaby, but the song she sang was different.

"_**Oh anima effimera**_

___Oh ephemeral soul_

_**Che ti celi nel profondo dell'inganno**_

_ You conceal yourself in the depths of deception_

_**Che hai continuato ad aspettare nel bosco deserto?**_

_ Why do you continue to wait in the deserted forest?_

_**Riposa, riposa in pace**_

___Rest, rest in peace,_

_**Nel raccont che ho scritto, puoi volare in liberth**_

___In the story that I wrote, you can fly in freedom_

_**Ecco il mio ultimo incantesimo**_

___Let me cast my final spell_

_**Affinche la tua luce non conosca ombra.**_

___So your light may know not darkness._"

Ame set the sleeping Chibi at the base of the tree and shook her golden cat charm twice. At her command, a bright constellation shone above them. A bright, swirling portal opened up the sky and Chibi yawned slightly as she was brought up to the heavens.

"So," Kid said, changing the subject entirely and acting like none of that just happened. "You can control time now, huh? I wonder how that will work out for you."

Ame was quiet. Kid turned back to see her still standing by the tree.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Sad Chibi had to go? She was cute, and I will miss her, but it was best for her to be in her won time, Ame."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Ame growled. She stared at her hands for a moment. She was shaking. "Never again…. I swear… never again."


	47. Chapter 47

Death City! A wonderful oasis in the middle of the Nevada Desert! Meaning that right now in the peak of summer, the heat is freaking torture to anyone around! Owo

"It's so hot!" Patti complained.

"I know," Liz grumbled. They were both dressed in the lightest outfits they could manage, which consisted of clothes that didn't cover much and was usually worn around the house only for reasons such as this.

"Hey Kid, do we have any ice cream?" Patti asked, skipping into the kitchen and looking in the cabinets for some breakfast. Kid choked on his cereal when he saw the two.

"Put some clothes on, you two!" he shouted rather quietly. He didn't want Ame to hear. Liz snickered, entertained by his reaction. "What if Ame starts dressing like that?! Go upstairs and get dressed right now."

"But Kid, it's hot," Liz complained, plopping down in one of the chairs and taking a gulp of her coke. "And who are you to be talking? You're just wearing shorts and a tank top. I didn't even know you had clothes like that."

"At least I'm modest about it," Kid muttered. "Anyway, the air conditioner is on high already, but it's still so hot. I set up a fan in the living room, so we can all hang out in there today, okay?"

"Okay."

Kid began walking into the living room, but stopped in the doorway. Ame was on her hands and knees in front of the fan, her nightgown flying in the sharp breeze. Kid doubled back, blood pouring from his face in an impressive nosebleed. Ame glanced at him.

"How's this for fan service?"

The Hottest Day in Death City; How Many Will Die Before Divine Breeze Blows?

Ame was still standing in front of the fan. In truth, her dress didn't blow around that much so Kid was able to calm down and join the others. It wasn't long before Ame started purring into the fan, intrigued by the weird change in her voice.

"Operation Otaku is a go," she said, playing another childish game.

"I knew you'd do that," Kid grinned. Ame shrank back, a little embarrassed.

"Ame, isn't there like a power of wind or something?" Liz asked. "I mean, you control water already. And plants. Come on, where's that beautiful divine wind to blow the heat front away?"

Ame perked up. "Come on, Kid!"

As soon as Ame opened the door, she shrank back. "Never mind. Let's stay here. It's nice and cool."

"Oh, make up your mind already—""

"No need to be hot! You're god is now here!" Blackstar shouted, suddenly tearing through the house.

"Let's go now!" Ame shouted, carrying Kid by his collar.

"Where do we even look?" Kid wondered as Ame got tired and put him down. "I guess it's just you and me today."

"Kid, look at the watermelon," Ame said, pointing to a small stand selling watermelons.

"Hold on, Ame," Kid pulled her back. He crossed his arms. "I left my wallet back home."

"Wha…?!" Ame whimpered. She looked down, pouting. Kid rolled his eyes and rubbed her head softly.

"You're not a child," he chided quietly. "Grow up. It's not the end of the world."

"You want some?" a voice asked behind them. Kid and Ame looked up to see the woman standing by them. She had blonde hair cropped short and sharp green eyes. Her face was narrow and her chest was full. She smiled politely at them. "You're Amaterasu, I take it? I'm Kai. You two must be awfully hot out here; why don't you come in for a bit?"

"Thank you," Kid nodded graciously. "That's very kind of you."

"Help yourself to some food," Kai told them, motioning to a small table in the center of the room with watermelons on it. The house was small and cozy; more like a cottage with a vast water melon field behind it. Ame used power slash to cut the melons in half before digging in. Kid refrained from strangling her.

"Are you two out and about?" Kai asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. "Ame and I were just looking around to see if we could uncover any more of her powers."

Usually, Ame would have growled at him for revealing so much to a total stranger, but she had all the cool, watery food she needed. Kid glanced at her to see how she was doing. She didn't eat much; she seemed rather distracted, staring intently—more like gawking—at something. Kid followed her line of sight and stiffened, blushing slightly. You can't be serious.

"Why is Ame so fascinated by that woman's chest?" Kid thought, twitching slightly. "Is she jealous or something? No, she's looking at Kai's soul! She sees something, so I'd better get my head out of the gutter."

Although he saw nothing out of the ordinary when looking at Kai's soul, he felt Ame tug on his sleeve. He opened his eyes to see her staring at him, her eyes wide and intent on telling him something.

"Kid, we have to go," Ame said.

Soul Eater

"Leaving so soon?" Kai asked, rather disappointed as she showed them out the door. "Well, come by any time to try my watermelons."

Ame nodded, eager to get out of her sight. As soon as Kai closed the door, Ame bolted, dragging Kid with her, to behind the house.

"Ame, I thought you said we had to get out of here. You didn't just say that so we could steal fresh watermelon, did you? Because that's morally wrong and you should be ashamed."

"Shh!" Ame snapped. She peeked around the back of the house to see a small body collapsed in a heap by the wall. Kid immediately went to her side, checking her pulse and putting a hand on her forehead.

"It's this heat," Kid thought, looking up at the sun. He still wasn't used to it being a 'normal' sun, without it laughing or anything.

"Kai put it in the watermelons," Ame reported. "This is the real watermelon seller. Kai drugged her and took her place for a day. But for what?"

"Ame, look at this," Kid said, pointing at a small spot on the ground. Rays of light were emitting from the soil in a not-so-normal way.

"Dig it up!" Ame commanded.

"Forget it," Kid recoiled. "My hands will get dirty."

"That's too bad," Ame sighed, kneeling down at the glowing spot and raking her fingers through the dirt. "Cause apparently you don't know the joy of dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig!"

She found a small glass bottle with what looked like a tornado swirling around in it. She held it up to the light. If she squinted, she could see the silhouette of a horse running around in there. She gasped.

"Kid, I think we found what we're looking for," she said, smashing the bottle down on the ground. They saw a large white horse with red markings rear up in front of them as their surroundings turned from buildings to clouds. The horse bolted the other way, spooked and running from anything. Ame didn't let him get away, though; she lunged after him at break-neck speed, passing him and turning on her heel in time to head-bash some sense into the creature. The pony looked around for a moment, confused, until looking at Ame again. He got to his feet.

"Amaterasu," he greeted. "How nice to see your face at last. I was captured by that demon and trapped here. As a gift of my gratitude for freeing me, I now give you the power to control air. You must find out what that Kitsune was planning, Amaterasu."

The light faded and they resumed normality again. Ame growled.

"That fox demon is gone," she muttered. "Those time lapses between earth and the Divine Realm can get real lengthy."

"Fox demon?" Kid asked. "Just what kind of thing are we talking about here?"

"And she drugged the watermelon and the tea," Ame said. "There was no hurry, I just didn't want you to get sick."

"Good girl," he praised, petting her between the ears. "Anyway, you have some work to do. How about you blow that heat wave downwind for a while?"

Ame nodded, drawing a swirl in the sky. A sharp breeze cut through the entire city and seemed to blow the depressing heat away, leaving it with nothing but pleasant cool.

"A fox demon in Death City?" Lord Death asked later when Ame and Kid were checking in.

"We didn't say anything to the others yet," Kid nodded. "But Ame sensed it before I could. What are these fox demons you two keep talking about?"

"We're talking about Kitsune, or more commonly Gitsune. Gitsune are the servants to Kitsune. There are usually eight servants to one Kitsune, depending on how empowered they are. Eight is the maximum. Knowing that one was here in the city, we can assume her master isn't up to any good. Keep an eye out, you two, and report back with any suspicious activity."

"Right."

After the mirror disconnected, Kid decided to bring one more thing up while they were in private.

"Ame, you were able to sense the Gitsune before I was," he explained. "Are you immune to soul protect because of your eye?"

"What?" Ame tilted her head.

"Did you encounter any kind of interference when you looked at her soul?" Kid pressed.

"Huh? I never looked at her soul," Ame shook her head. She grinned. "I could tell by her scent. I was watching her boobs bounce."

"What the—?!"

"You see, Japan is a leg country, so it isn't that often that I get to witness the glory of cleavage and jiggle physics~!"

"But why do you care?!" Kid demanded. "That's so vulgar! I can't believe you!"

"Your nose is bleeding."

"No it's not!" Yes, it was.

"So you are attracted to women!"

"Shut up, you! I can't believe you sometimes. Do you have any idea how homosexual your impulses are?!"

**Roy, Komamura's son, however I shall address you… I APOLOGIZE DEEPLY.**


	48. Chapter 48

"And then Ame bit his head," Liz told her friends one day, laughing. They'd all gathered at a café for lunch, with the exclusion of Ame. Kid blushed.

"You don't have to broadcast it to the entire city," he muttered.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" a pink-haired boy greeted shyly, stepping up to their table with a tray of food in his hands. "C-can I sit with you? I mean, if it isn't too much trouble."

"Oh, hey, Crona," Maka greeted, elbowing Soul a bit hard to make room for him. "Sure, come on. I didn't think you'd be out today; I thought you were busy."

"Miss Sayo wanted to talk to me," Crona said quietly as he sat down and began eating with them. He didn't expect his visit to the school to be so short, but Sayo only wanted a few samples of his blood. She just asked him not to tell anyone about it though. "What were you talking about just now?"

"The benevolent Amaterasu," Tsubaki replied matter-of-factly. Crona tilted his head.

"That's right, you haven't met her yet," Soul said.

"Is that the girl everyone is talking about? Y-you know, the… goddess," Crona shied.

"We just call her Ame, actually," Soul said. "And she may be a powerful god, but she's not hard to please. At best, she tries to please others."

"I have an idea," Maka suggested. "Why don't we all get together so you can meet her? I'm sure she'd be happy to meet you."

"That's a good idea," Liz agreed. "Don't you think, Kid?"

"Yes," Kid nodded. He gave Crona a reassuring smile. "Ame's a handful, but you'll have fun."

Shadow Ink; A Bloody Bond Between Meister and Goddess?

"Have you heard of Crona Gorgon?" Kid asked as he and Ame made their way to the park.

"You've mentioned him a few times," Ame nodded. "I think I may have seen him when he was visiting you in the hospital. Oh, yeah, didn't he come with us to fight Spider Queen?"

"Correct," Kid nodded. "He's closer to us than you realize. We decided to have you meet him. He's the ultimate ambassador when it comes to humans in need of your power. He's very sensitive and he freaks out easily, so be nice to him."

"Alright."

"I mean it, Ame," Kid insisted. "Don't use too much of your ink power and don't bully him. Be gentle, okay?"

"Got it."

"Hey, you finally made it!" Maka waved at them.

"That would be my fault," Kid said. "I had trouble getting Ame's attention."

"Ame, I'd like you to meet Crona," Maka introduced them. "Crona, this is Ame."

Crona looked at her from head to toe for a minute. She was really sweet, and he could feel a comforting aura that seemed to dust off her soul. For a moment, he could have sworn he saw a white wolf with red markings, but another blink told him he'd been mistaken.

"N-nice to m-meet you," Crona bowed his head slightly. "A-a-ame."

"Stop stuttering, you idiot!" a voice rang out. Suddenly, a little black monster tore out of Crona's back. "You make me sick; is this any way to represent yourself in front of a goddess?"

Ame's ears rippled in confusion. Ragnarok was made of Black Blood?

"I wonder what happens if you head-bash him," she said, thus disregarding everything that just happened.

"What did I just say?!" Kid demanded.

Ame didn't listen, she charged at Crona with her ears back, raising her head and bringing it down in the most intense head-bash yet. However, she never felt an impact between herself and the tiny Crona. She fell right through him! As if he was a shadow….

"Ah! I'm no longer a solid object! Ame I dead?! What's going on? I don't know how to deal with this!"

"Crona, it's okay, calm down," Tsubaki and Maka tried to hold him still.

"What kind of demon are you?!" Ragnarok demanded of Ame. "Just walking through us like that? You should be ashamed, you stupid dog!"

He reached out and hit her. Ame cowered, gripping her head and whimpering in pain. Soul stood in between them.

"Cut it out," he said. "She didn't know any better."

"Stay out of this, you little brat!"

Ame growled, turning around and snarling at Ragnarok.

"I've had enough of you!" she said, flinging a small slip of paper at him. Crona flinched, but the Exorcism slip hit Ragnarok dead in the face. He disappeared as soon as it hit his skin. Crona looked up in wonder.

"You made him go away," he said. Ame floated towards him, her eyes boring into his thin frame. He flinched again as she reached a small hand out to him. Her slim fingers found his skin and she held her hand against his face for a moment. Crona relaxed.

"Her hand is so small…" he thought. "So warm."

"Thank god," Soul sighed. "We thought something had happened when you went through him like that."

"Crona-chan," Ame smiled, tilting her head. Crona smile back at her, tilting his head as well. Ame nodded and turned to Kid. "Now."

Everybody jumped as she viciously kicked Kid in the head. "You could have told me he was made of black blood!"

"It slipped my mind," Kid replied.

"Like that's an excuse!" Ame pinned him to the ground and began tearing at his skin.

"Ah, quit! I'm sorry, okay?!"

Soul Eater

"So the teams will be Kid, Maka, Soul, and Liz against Patti, Blackstar, Crona, and I," Tsubaki said.

"W-what about Ame?" Crona asked. The other seven laughed slightly and looked at the corner of the court. Ame was hiding behind the building, peeking at Crona with a small grin. Her tail wagged slightly.

"She's in the middle of your final test of ultimate loyalty," Soul replied.

"These games bore her," Kid added. "You don't have to join her. But she might stalk you until you do."

"Just go play with your goddess already!" Ragnarok ordered, hitting Crona on the head. Apparently the exorcism slips wore off.

"Whose side are you even on?" the others chorused. Ame flicked her tail once, narrowing her eyes in a slightly creepy way until Crona began approaching her. She wagged her tail and disappeared behind the wall.

"Hey, wait up," Crona called after her, running after her. He continued to follow her, each twist and turn in their path making him feel happier and happier. He never knew life could contain such a frivolous pleasure. He began laughing slightly as their pace got faster and faster. He didn't realize it, but they were getting far from the others.

"I'll get you!" Crona called softly. All this pain… all this fear and insecurity… gone?

"Ra!" Ame whispered as he turned the last corner. She was standing in front of a large cherry blossom tree. "Turn around."

Crona did as she said, taken aback by the beautiful view of Death City. "Wow."

"This is my tree," Ame said. "They all are. I am in everything and I belong to the world as its protector. Do you understand?"

Crona hesitated, nodding slightly. Ame smiled at him and he suddenly felt as if she was much older than him. She sat down at the base of the tree and waved him forward. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Crona felt very peaceful, sitting next to the goddess.

That feeling faded as soon as it came as Ame asked a question that sent chills down him.

"Tell me, why is your blood black?"

"Oh, my… Medusa put it in me," he replied, clutching his arm uncomfortably. "I promise I won't use it badly anymore."

"Do you know what Black blood is?" Ame asked.

"Ink used by Inochigami?" Crona asked. "You can manipulate Ragnarok and make him go away."

Ame nodded, still smiling. "And since you're filled with it, I can also do it to you."

"W-what—like what?"

"I can make it all rush out of you, or I can keep it inside of you forever," Ame replied. She looked up at him, sporting a terrifying, psychotic grin. "Have you ever imagined having all that blood rush out of your body all at once? It's quite painful."

Crona stiffened. She wasn't so nice anymore. She was a bit… Mad.

"Y-you wouldn't re-really, w-w-would you?"

Ame smiled at him, her usual cheerful self again. "No, of course not."

Crona smiled back at her, relieved. She was the goddess of Madness; even if she had a Madness attack, she couldn't really hurt anyone… right?


	49. Chapter 49

"Don't wander off too far," Kid told Ame. They were downtown, and Ame could hardly stay with the group. Kid stopped by a table and looked at an old, tarnished bell. It looked rather ordinary, but Kid felt a compelling need to look at it. Ame was too preoccupied to pay attention to the merchandise. She didn't even heed Kid's warning as she followed a small cricket into the alleyway where no one could see them very well.

"Amaterasu," a voice purred from the shadows. "I've been praying to you for ages now. I am grateful that you were able to respond at last."

"Come into the light," Ame said, raising her ears. She didn't feel right and immediately regretted ever leaving Kid's side.

The figure stepped out of the shadows. It was a man with scars on his face. Ame could tell there was a great amount of Madness suppressant in his system, somehow. If he wanted to see her, then why did he use Madness suppressant? Doesn't he know it limits her power?

"Amaterasu, the goddess of life itself, I am excited to have finally found you."

"Who are you?" he seemed familiar.

"Forgive me," he bowed his head, his reddish brown hair falling over his green eyes. "My name is of no importance to you. Please, come with me to my village. There isn't much time; my people need you. We don't have time to waste, we have to go now."

"Hold on," Ame gritted her teeth. He was lying. "Just what is going on in your village? And why have you come to me?"

"There is a great darkness over the village."

Ame's ears twitched, but she wouldn't be won that easily.

"Please, we have to go now."

"No," Ame said stubbornly. "I deny my service today. Go to the DWMA; they can help."

"But we need you," he insisted. "What kind of benevolent goddess leaves her people to the mouth of darkness?! Hm, maybe wolves aren't so benevolent after all."

"Excuse me?!" Ame turned back to him. She was sensitive about her flaws.

"Maybe only humans can have. You'll see, soon a real god will rise up and he'll be more than you or your pathetic boyfriend will ever be."

"I know something you don't know," Ame sang. The stranger blinked and she looked up with a demonic look in her eye. "I know who isn't human. I know who isn't human!" She laughed. "What are you? You're not human." She frowned, her madness taking control of her body. "Do you know who isn't human? PEOPLE LIKE YOU!"

She summoned Eighth Wonder and swung it blindly through the air. The madness suppressers disabled her Ink right now, but she had to kill him. He fell to the side and Ame stabbed him in the chest. She brought the sword down again, this time on his skull.

Kid heard the sudden commotion and looked up. Had the bell he'd just purchased not been in his pocket, he would have dropped it. It was as if the world went in slow motion for a moment, the only sound was the stabbing of the sword into fresh flesh and the spatter of blood against the road. He saw Ame attacking someone, but he couldn't understand why she would do such a thing. He tried to shout at her to tell her to stop, and his eyes found her face. He would never forget the mask of fear and anger and pain that had dominated her features for such a short time.

After what felt like milliseconds and hours, Kid was able to find his footing and ran towards her. He reached out to her, trying to restrain her.

"Ame, stop it!" he screamed, but Ame threw his aside.

"Die," Ame growled. "Die… die… DIE!"

Her arms locked in a position above her head. She dropped her instrument and wrapped her arms around herself. All she could muster before she fell to the ground was a strangled scream.

Soul Eater

"What the hell were you trying to pull?"

"I didn't mean for that to happen."

"They treated my daughter like a rabid animal! Surely by this point, the citizens would have a small inkling of recognition for her situation?! She'll probably never set foot in the human world again!"

Ikiru paused in her ranting, glaring at Lord Death angrily. She was in the Death Room, in her human form. She came as soon as she felt her daughter's Madness attack spark up.

"Ikiru," Lord Death said quietly. She'd always said they would meet again, but this is not what he had in mind. "Ame will recover. She has something to live for in the human world now."

"What would that be?"

"My son."

Kid was walking swiftly through the hallways of the DWMA, his pace quickening with every step. He thought about what had gone down after Ame had freaked out. It made him so angry that no one would listen to him. No one understood. The citizens had pursued Ame shortly after she stopped stabbing the stranger. Kid tried to stop them, but….

_"Stop it! Leave her alone!"_

They didn't listen.

_"Don't hurt her!"_

He felt like a helpless child again. He watched them restrain Ame and drag her to the academy in a screaming fit. She was locked up now, traumatized beyond recognition. She seemed to be the wild animal that she was when they found her.

Kid stormed into the Death Room in a frenzy.

"Father, Ame's been—"

He halted before finishing his sentence. His mind went blank. He was trembling in shock and… fear? He stared at the figure standing in between him and his father. She was beautiful; with floor-length, black-tipped, white hair, and a traditional scarlet kimono, she did look like a god. She had threatened him before. She warned that if he let the humans do anything to Ame, she would kill him. Had she come to collect?

Ikiru turned around, her golden eyes driving into him like fire, and… smiled gently.

"Hello, dear," she greeted. Kid hesitated. This was Ikiru? But… she's so kind and gentle…. Ikiru sensed his discomfort and tried to help. "You don't need to be frightened; come here."

Kid stumbled the few steps up the platform to greet her. Was she tricking him? If Ame could kill someone, Ikiru can do it eighty-eight times better. Kid finally found his voice and spoke.

"I-I'm sorry," he let out a tiny apology. Ikiru frowned sympathetically and reached forward. Kid flinched, expecting to be hit, but Ikiru merely put a hand against his face softly. He relaxed and looked up at her. Such beauty, such warmth, such kindness… it all seemed to come together to form one word. A word Kid had never really understood before.

_Mother._

"You look just like your father," Ikiru smiled at him. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Soul Eater

They headed to Ame's cell. Kid was still apologizing, although he knew deep down he didn't really need to.

"It's not your fault," Ikiru assured him. "Ame has Madness attacks frequently; it's like all her power raises within her and she has to purge it from her body sometimes. She can't contain it, nor can she control it."

"I understand," Kid nodded. "I used to have trouble controlling my powers when I was younger."

"There, you see?" Ikiru nodded. "She'll probably be well-established when she gets older."

That in her voice, was it… pride?

"If her situation were well-paced like yours, she wouldn't have these attacks as often, but for now, you'll need to know how to deal with them until she gets control of herself."

When they reached her cell, Ame was in the corner, curled up and shaking. Ikiru put a cautioning hand on Kid's arm, signaling him to wait. Ikiru moved to stand over Ame protectively.

"Ame," she murmured. "Look at you. You look so small."

Ikiru knelt by Ame and touched her shoulder before she waved Kid forward. Kid knelt next to Ikiru.

"Here," Ikiru whispered, taking Kid's hand and holding it out to Ame. Ame flinched as if she expected him to hit her. "Talk to her. Tell her it's okay."

"You're angry," Ame whispered furiously. "I know it. Please don't hurt me."

"Stop that," Kid said quietly. "I would never do anything of the sort. Don't be afraid; I won't hurt you. Please."

He reached forward slightly, his hand softly touching Ame's shoulder. She stopped shaking and he rubbed a small circle on her skin. She shot towards him, burying her face in his chest. Kid sighed, holding onto her. It had been a while since she'd relied on him like this. Ikiru smiled at them and put an approving hand on Kid's back.

"I bought something for you," Kid told Ame. He fished around in his pockets for a minute before holding a small bracelet out to her. It was configured of several small red beads and a single bell hung from it. Ame looked at the bell passively and Ikiru gasped softly beside them. Kid smiled. "Here, don't you want it?"

Ame reached her thin fingers out to touch the bell. It jingled softly and she shivered with pleasure. She relaxed against Kid's chest and stared at the bell a while. Then—of course she fell asleep.

"That's a Peace Bell," Ikiru said. "It calms enemies and makes it easier to exorcise them. A good Artifact to equip."

"I understand," Kid said, getting to his feet and lifting Ame up. She was heavy as always. "This bell also calmed her power. I… I was so busy talking to the merchant that I didn't notice her wandering off. The next thing I knew… she was screaming and laughing at the same time."


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter's 46-48 had to be edited and re-posted because I totally left out something. :( I sincerely apologize for any inconveniences.**

Kid was sitting in bed late one night. He'd felt kind of restless that night, so he decided to stay up and read. Ame was curled up on the bed next to him, reading over his shoulder every so often. She put her head in his lap, letting out a wolfish whine, and Kid smirked softly. He put a hand on her shoulder, scratching her back softly. She sighed contently.

"I love it when you're home," she said.

"Yeah, but school will be starting again soon," Kid said. Ame raised her head and gave him a protesting look. "Don't give me that look. You know I'd have to go back to school sometime."

Ame frowned, wrapping her arms around him greedily and crushing him with a clingy hug. Kid sighed, rubbing her between the ears again.

"I know, I know," he rolled his eyes. He liked it when she acted like a wolf. "Hey, why don't we go to that onsen I promised you? The others could come too. How'd you like that?"

"…Yeah, okay," Ame smiled quietly. "And Crona should come too. I like… him."

Last Drops of Summer; Magnificently Rejuvenating Onsen Adventure?

The next day, the others packed their pajamas and spare clothes for an overnight trip to a hot spring that Kid had promised, yet forgot, to take Ame to. The travel by train was only a few hours, so they got there in good time. They rented two rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. Ame settled in immediately; claiming one side of a fold-out futon for herself and glaring demonically at anyone who tried to go near it.

It was already late enough in the day by the time they got settled, so they all decided to take a bath before dinner.

Ame wrapped herself in a white towel before walking outside with the other girls. The evening air was crisp and cool, and the steam rising from the hot pools made her skin tingle with ecstasy.

"Come on, Ame! Don't be shy!" Liz's voice broke her out of her trance. Ame shook her head once and stepped to the rocky edge of the pool, dipping her feet in cautiously before dropping her towel. She was about to slip into the water gracefully, but her foot slipped on some algae and she fell clumsily underwater.

"Ame!" the other four cried in surprise. The little wolf darted above the surface once more, coughing and gasping quietly for air. The others sighed in relief.

"Even in death," Maka muttered. "You're still too cute to take seriously."

"Is everything alright?" they heard Kid call over the bamboo wall separating the boys' spring from theirs.

"Fine!" Liz called back to him.

"Sure they are," Kid muttered, rolling his eyes and propping his arm on a rock near where he was sitting in the hot water.

"You know, you really shouldn't worry about her so much," Soul told him. Soul was the only quiet one, other than Kid himself; Blackstar wouldn't shut up and Ragnarok wouldn't stop harassing Crona. It was chaos. Kid turned to look at Soul.

"Who?" he asked.

"Ame," Soul continued. "Seriously, summer vacation's almost over. The least you could do is stop worrying for just one day since we're on a holiday."

Kid sighed. Soul didn't have anything to worry about; he was lucky.

"So what's wrong?" Soul asked moving closer. Kid sighed again, this time a little louder.

"Ame, of course," he replied.

"She hasn't made your life any easier, has she?" Soul guessed. "Maybe that's why you haven't made a move on her yet."

"No, that's not it," Kid said quietly.

"You're not even going to argue with me?"

"I've been thinking about asking Ame out for a while now, but I just don't think I have the courage to. I can commit myself to her, but there are things even I can't do; it feels like I can't do anything. I've been hesitant ever since she left. Father told me that Inochigami have a special endearing power, that whoever meets them longs for their presence always. He told me it was the worst pain Shinigami can endure. Soul… Ame's not immortal like me. If she dies, I'd lose her forever. I'm worried about not being able to protect her because she's so reckless all the time."

Soul chuckled slightly. "That's exactly how I feel with Maka. She's so twisted; you've seen how I risk my own life to save hers. But I see how it's different with us. Maka and I fight as one; we are meister and weapon. You and Ame, on the other hand, are two separate entities—a human and a wolf. At least you two could have fought together, if you had chosen to stay a wolf."

"That fate would have been wrong," Kid insisted. "As long as anyone can remember, Inochigami and Shinigami couldn't correspond with each other and work like a flawless one like meister and weapon do now. That's why Ikiru had to leave… that's why Ame left."

"Like I said, you worry too much," Soul said, putting a hand on Kid's shoulder. "Listen, Kid, you have to take a few chances. No Inochigami or Shinigami have ever come together in this way, don't you think that has to do with it?"

"What do you mean?" Kid asked.

"Take that chance," Soul insisted. "Ame won't just die carelessly on us if you tell her how you feel. Just think of what happened in the cave of the Twin Demons. Got it?"

Kid smiled. "Yeah, thanks. I'll try that later."

On the other side of the wall, Ame, Maka, Tsubaki, Liz, and Patti, were all enjoying their bath. Patti's eyes snapped open and she pointed at Ame's neck.

"Hey, wait!" she said. The others looked up and glanced at what Patti was pointing at. There was a fair-sized lock of Ame's hair, which had fell out of the bun she'd twisted most of her hair into, draped down her shoulder. Ame frowned and picked it out of the water, trying to twist it back into her bun without collapsing the entire thing.

"I hate having long hair," she muttered.

"Then why haven't you cut it?" Liz asked.

"To make Kid happy," Ame replied. "I just find it easier to please him when I can instead of arguing with him over stupid things."

"You're the one being stupid now," Liz said, tugging one of her ears. "You don't have to give into anything Kid says. He's just being picky."

"If you need reasons to cut it, just tell him it's too hot out," Maka said. "And that you'd like to cut it short to keep cool."

"Or for cosplay," Tsubaki added. "I know you took a job at that café in town. You could say they want you to dress as a specific character and cut it then."

"That's a good idea," Ame nodded, smiling. She turned around halfway. "But don't you think it's kind of obvious that I cut it short to make it look like his?"

.

.

.

"No, not at all," Tsubaki lied.

"Hey, Ame…" Liz trailed off, staring at Ame's back. She saw two red marks on Ame's back. They were faint, like scars, almost unnoticeable, but they were there. "Is the water burning you?"

Ame looked back at them, perking her ears slightly. She took notice of their fascination immediately.

"Oh, those are just the crimson markings you see in my wolf form," she replied. "They appear on my back in my human form."

"They're very symmetrical. I'm sure Kid wouldn't mind."

"Why would he care?" Ame asked. "It's not like he'll ever see them, right?"

"…"

Liz exchanged a glance with her friends before nodding passively.

"Yeah, okay. Keep thinking that."

Soul Eater

After their baths, they all dressed in yukatas and met up in the common area. Ame moved to sit on the ground next to Kid almost immediately. She didn't say anything as she knelt next to him and waited for him to rub between her ears. He did so.

"Did you enjoy your bath?" he asked. "Your fur is so silky now."

"Hm." Liz mumbled.

"What?" Kid looked up.

"I've never seen you in a yukata before, Kid," Maka spoke up. "You look different. But in a good way; I just never thought about it with Ame looking so natural in hers."

"He does look good, doesn't he?" Soul asked, leaning closer to Kid with a mischievous grin.

"Get away from me," Kid leaned away from him as Soul grabbed the collar of Kid's yukata down to expose his shoulder and a bit of his chest.

"Yukata fanservice!" he shouted. Maka and Tsubaki blushed and looked away sharply. Liz and Patti did the same, snickering under their breaths as they did so. Kid glared at Soul. Ame fell backwards with a scream, a fountain of blood spurting from her nose.

"Looks like Ame likes what she sees," Soul laughed.

"Soul, I will kill you if you do that again," Kid warned.

Ame sat upright again, wiping the blood on her sleeve, which was a bit too long for her arms anyway. Her tail wagged madly about as she stared at Kid.

"You have a nice body, Kid!" she panted.

Kid put his knee against her back to give himself leverage and pulled her ears a bit too hard.

"I WILL RIP THESE EARS OFF YOUR HEAD IF YOU SAY THAT AGAIN!"

Meanwhile, out in a field of corn, several children were standing in a circle around a scarecrow.

"Exalted is he who walks behind the rows," one of them said. "Who grows the corn and wears a cloak of death."

A black shadow appeared behind the scarecrow. The figure let out a dark laugh.

"Please, children," it said. "As of this night… call me God."

It reached forward and consumed the scarecrow.

It was late at night when everyone was finally able to get to sleep. Well, almost everyone. Kid awoke. He sat up in bed, looking around slowly. Something was wrong; he just had a feeling. He got out of bed as quietly as he could and put his yukata on over his pajamas before sneaking out of his room.

At first, he saw nothing out of the ordinary as he walked the porches and walkways of the onsen. He came to the fountain in the front, and stopped. Ame was bent over the drinking fountain, gulping down several handfuls of the water. Kid shifted his weight, making her perk her ears and look up.

"Can't sleep?" she smiled at him, narrowing her eyes. She looked drunk; her face was flushed and her eyes were unfocused. She turned back to the water, frowning again. "No matter how much I drink, I just can't quench my thirst…. It's inconvenient."

She reached out to take another handful of water, but Kid put a hand over hers.

"I think you've had enough," he said. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Um…" Ame winced, clenching her free hand against her stomach and sinking to her knees. Kid knelt next to her.

"See, I told you," he said, putting a hand against her forehead. She felt warm. No, she was burning. "What's wrong with you? Gods aren't supposed to get sick."

"My brothers are waiting for us," she said, turning her head and pointing out to the dark forest. "We have to go tonight."

"What are you talking about, Ame?" Kid inquired. "You need to rest if you don't feel well."

"The children of darkness did this," she said. "They're trying to lure me there by consuming my soul and body. We need to go."

**Well, things suddenly got kind of serious. All of a sudden. So yeah I got a plot idea, which resulted in ABSOLUTE SCREWING OF THE CHAPTERS! Ugh, tedious -_-#**


	51. Chapter 51

"Exalted is he who walks behind the rows. Grows the corn and wears a cloak of Death. He shall have his sacrifice and the blood moon shall rise. And our holy demon lord shall rise again! Eight rows, eight rows, eight rows, nine!"

"Ame, are you sure you should come along?" Kid asked for the hundredth time. The nine of them had all woken up once they were told what was going on. They were all disappointed in the serious turn of events, but they got ready to leave without a fuss. If someone was hurting their friend, no questions were asked. They were all standing right outside the onsen, ready to go in pursuit of this mysterious force. Ame was sitting on Nagi's back, or, more like, laying on it because she was doubled over so far. She straightened and put on a brave face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she insisted. Kid frowned. He'd never seen her so weak before. It wasn't natural. He didn't like it; it scared him.

"So you sense that?" Maka asked, looking out at the dark forest with narrow eyes.

"It feels dark," Kid nodded. "Come one; that evil won't fight itself."

Evil Brewing 2; A Force More Powerful than God?

The children all stood in a half-circle around a blood-stained cross. They were waiting for their sacrifice. The leader of the demon children stood in the center of their formation in front of the cross.

"This will be the night," he spoke. "The night of the dark moon shall be the night that our sacrifice comes to us. Once we kill Inochgami Amaterasu and give her soul and flesh to our master, he shall rise again with more power than ever to be imaginable. We will resurrect the Demon Lord from his eternal slumber."

"Are these kids crazy?" Soul asked from where he and the others were hiding in the corn stalks. The weapons were all in weapon form in case something happened.

"They want to resurrect a demon?" Kid narrowed his eyes. "This is bad. I have a feeling that whoever we're up against won't be easy."

"Yeah, but we've fought Asura and several witches, including the Spider Queen," Liz said. "How hard can it be?"

"… I'm just not so sure this time," Kid said. He glanced at Ame. She was shaking, holding one hand over her golden eye. "What do you see?"

"Death," she said, pointing at the scarecrow in the center of the clearing. "Death walks behind the rows. Death blooms the trees and lets the corn grow. But it's Death. Death, Death, Death!"

"Ame, be quiet," Kid chided, putting a hand over her mouth and holding her close to him. "They'll hear you."

"We already did."

Ame's head snapped up and she transformed into a white wolf, taking her sword in her mouth and lunging at the children that had surrounded them. The others leapt into action as well. The children were stronger than they thought; as if they had supernatural demonic powers. Ame leapt at the leader of the demon children, reaching to stab her sword straight through him. These enemies were just kids; they could be easily defeated. However, when Ame's sword made contact with the kid, she was repelled backwards, electricity stinging her fur. She whimpered and dropped her sword, transforming into a human like she couldn't control herself.

"You foolish beast," the child scoffed. "You think a benevolent goddess like yourself could kill a child? Our master made a wise choice—with an upper hand like this, we'll defeat you easily."

"You demon," Ame choked out as she felt someone tie her up and bind her to the cross.

"Ame!" Kid shouted in panic. This was bad. The children were too strong for them to simply fight like other enemies, and they were too fast to initiate any advanced form of soul resonance.

"You aren't children!" Ame shouted. "The idea of being a child is being innocent! That's why I'm so small. Innocence is what separates children from grown-ups. I'll kill you if I want to."

"Oh, so then are we grown-ups?" the leader mocked her. "If our games are so childish, yet we are not children, then what are we? Animals?"

"Don't you dare defile that word," Ame growled in warning, flattening her ears back in anger. "You're neither child nor grown-up. You are not human, nor god. You're demons! Do you hear me?!"

"Such a feisty sacrifice…."

Ame froze, turning her head as much as she could to get a better view of the dark cloud of death behind her. The voice was dark and deep. Ame felt cold mist wrap around her and start to suffocate her. She growled.

"Get away from me!" she yelled.

"Ame!" Kid shouted, shooting one of the demons and running towards her.

"Kid, be careful," Liz cautioned. "That mist isn't killing her; it's taking away her power."

"You're right, but we have to try something," Kid argued. He stared at Ame for a moment as her head was forced backward and her eyes began to glow a haunting golden. Her mouth opened and she no longer seemed there; as if something possessed her.

Ame forced her eyes closed, lowering her head. She shook her head and glared at the children as they approached her with a torch. They lit the pile of brush underneath her, setting it aflame.

"These kids are crazy," she thought bitterly. "What do I do? There's no water around here. I can't just use wind to blow it out; they'll just relight it. I need something that will get rid of everything. The corn, the children, the mist…. Someone, help!"

Suddenly, just in time, a light began shining down on her from the heavens. The mist retreated from the vile substance, leaving Ame free for being bound. She looked up and saw the constellation of a rooster complete, and the rooster floated down from the heavens and engulfed her in divine.

"I'm a bit late, so I'll make this quick," he said. "I'm Moegami, the god of fire. You can use it to burn the corn, Amaterasu. The children will die when the corn is burnt. Without its followers, the Demon Lord will retreat."

Ame nodded once and the light faded away. She looked at the fire beneath her and drew a scratchy line from it to the corn in all directions. The grain caught on fire immediately and the children screamed as their flesh was burned off of their bones. Kid moved quickly to untie Ame. She fell into his arms, and he carried her out of the burning corn field. The others made it out alive and unscathed as well.

Soul Eater

Once the fire in the corn field died down, the dark mist was called up from the ashes.

"You have failed me," the Demon Lord muttered to his faithful servants. He turned his head in the direction Ame and Kid went. "But I know where to go to get the job done myself."

**It's a shorty for sure. (It's not short, it's Fun Sized!) I just couldn't think of a better way to divide the chapters. Anyway, this is the first scratch chapter I've had to write! I only got 60 of the 88 chapters written, so it will be a bit later for my updates and stuff. I think this is getting to be a very serious arc now, and this will take more than just a few chapters to resolve. The idea I'm going for here is that this Demon Lord makes Asura look like a joke.**

** Leave a review telling me all about your lives and stuff. Don't worry; I'm lonely and usually bored, you aren't bugging me by review and PMing XD**


	52. Chapter 52

"Why are we going to the school?" Ame asked, skipping along happily as if she didn't have a care in the world.

"Father hired a new teacher for next school year, so I want us to give her a warm welcome," Kid replied. "She's supposed to be teaching us about spirits and such from the Divine Realm. He wants you to meet her so you could help her with her studies."

"It would be nice if the students learned more about the enemies they're going to be fighting more often now that I'm around," Ame agreed.

The Suspicious Teacher; Ame's Cold Shoulder?

Once in the Death Room, Kid noticed the new teacher standing next to Lord Death. She was tall and slender with long reddish brown hair that covered one of her eyes. That was the only really asymmetrical thing about her, but Kid faintly saw bandages wrapping her covered eye, so he didn't say anything about it. Her remaining eye was a beautiful two-toned golden. It didn't resemble Kid's eyes; hers were more reddish bronze than saffron gold.

"Oh, you two must be Death the Kid and… Amaterasu," she smiled. "I've heard so much about you two from Lord Death. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Sayo Harumi." She bowed politely. She had good manners.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kid replied, bowing as well. "I hope you will enjoy your time here at the academy. May I ask, what is it you teach?"

"I'll be teaching the new course on spirit energy," Sayo replied. "I've been secretly studying Kitsune and Okami for a while now—ever since I learned a Kitsune killed my family. I was too scared to say anything about it, though."

"I'm glad we're hiring someone with some experience on the matter," Kid said. He turned his head slightly to look at Ame. She'd been unusually quiet. "Right, Ame?"

Ame kept her eyes narrowed and continued to stare at Sayo, who got a little tense once she realized she was being scrutinized.

"Ame, be polite," Kid chided under his breath.

"I'm sure Sayo would like some considerate blessings from her goddess before starting her new job," Lord Death hinted. "Don't you think, Amaterasu?"

"How rude of me," Sayo bowed again as if she forgot to introduce herself. "I never meant to offend you, great goddess."

Ame growled, her tail beginning to ripple behind her.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Ame," Kid snapped. "What's gotten into you?"

Ame lunged at her, bashing her to the ground. Sayo cried out in fear as Ame began tearing at her.

"Ame!" Kid shouted, yanking the girl back by the collar of her shirt. Ame fought him, gnashing her teeth and slashing with her tail and batting at the helpless woman with her claws. Kid restrained her, wrapping his arm around her arms and chest and holding her mouth with his hand. Even when she bit him so hard that blood began pouring from his hand, he held her tighter. He was able to get Ame out of that room.

"I'm so sorry about that," Lord Death apologized immediately, helping Sayo to her feet.

As soon as they got home, Kid practically threw Ame into a kitchen chair.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he yelled angrily. "What were you trying to pull attacking a teacher like that? You could have seriously injured her. How would that reflect on the academy's image?"

"What did she do this time?" Liz asked in disbelief. He was yelling at her this early?

"We went to greet a new teacher and Ame threatened her," Kid seethed. He turned back to Ame. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"She's a liar," Ame sniffed. "She's a suspicious figure that needs to learn her place."

"How could you say something like that? That's not like you."

Ame flicked her tail, pouting slightly. Kid sighed.

"I know you may not trust her because she's a very new person to you—to all of us," he said a bit quieter. "But you can't let yourself lose control like that. I thought you were having a madness attack; do you know how scary that would be? If you didn't feel right about it, you should have told me. I could have helped you resolve your dispute."

"I'm sorry," Ame sighed, putting her head down in shame. "I didn't think you'd believe me… or do anything about it."

"Moron," Kid flicked her between the eyes. "Now will you apologize?"

"No."

They both looked up when the front door opened rather loudly. Lord Death entered the kitchen quickly, and he didn't look too happy.

"Father?" Kid questioned. His voice was a bit small; he'd never seen his father so angry. "What are you doing home?"

"Kid, do you mind if Ame and I have a word?"

Kid retreated from the room quickly, waiting in the hallway. He could hear the anger in Lord Death's voice as he spoke to Ame.

"Amaterasu, I am absolutely ashamed of you," he growled. "What kind of goddess are you, attacking an innocent human like that?"

"She's not innocent," Ame muttered. "She deserves no companionship of mine."

"How could you say that? How would you like it if the person you follow and admired most shunned you? That's what normal humans are for, Ame, not divine beings. You might as well be nothing more than a donkey in a wolf's clothing.*"

"…!"

Ame didn't say anything, but something inside her snapped. She suddenly felt very alone and very… guilty. Lord Death left without another word.

Soul Eater

"Liz, Patti, we should leave now," Kid said. The three of them were ready to go somewhere at six the next day. Ame perked from where she was lying on her stomach by the air conditioner.

"Where you going?" she chirped unhappily.

"On a mission," Kid replied. "Sorry, but it's a night job. I could have sworn I'd told you about it."

Previously that day

"We're going on a mission tonight," Kid informed Ame casually. She couldn't hear him however, since she was asleep.

Present

"It's said he swallowed a little waving cat statue," Kid informed. "Surely it was no ordinary statue if a Kishin ate it. Want to come along?"

"Yes!"

Meanwhile, deep within the city, a small child was running for his life. A Kishin egg was running after him, grabbing at him with long, razor sharp claws. The Kishin roared and slashed the child in half, consuming his soul as soon as it floated out of the body. The Kishin felt little compressed soul wavelengths make contact with his skin and turned around. There, on a rooftop, were two figures. A boy with two guns and a wolf with a flaming disk on her back.

The Kishin snarled and ran up a wall like he could defy gravity.

"He has a Madness artifact, alright," Ame agreed. There was a slight scuffle between the three of them before Kid was able to shoot its eye and Ame cut his stomach open with her Eighth Wonder. A bright glow emitted from the Kishin's body as a small golden cat charm came tumbling out. A holy Divine Light consumed the two gods as they were given another glimpse at the Divine Realm. A cat goddess was perched on a rolling ball of yarn, purring slightly.

"Amaterasu," she greeted. "Thank you and your good companion for rescuing me. I'd retreated to the shell of a Madness artifact itself in order to escape this dark world. The Kishin then consumed me and borrowed my power. You have saved me, though, and in return, I shall grant you the power to walk on any surface you'd like. Be it the ceiling, the wall, or even a cloud."

Ame nodded once as the power was accepted into her being.

"This charm, the Golden Lucky Cat, shall grant attraction to objects out of your reach. Use it well, Amaterasu."

"Another god down," Kid said as the light faded. "That was Kabegami. She seemed nice, don't you think?"

He turned to Ame and paused. She was kneeling next to the dead child. She put his head in her lap and was stroking his hair softly.

"Shame on you," she whispered. "Getting strawberry jam on your pajamas."

The scene broke Kid's heart. It dawned on him that she'd never seen a dead body before. Animals and demons, yes… but never the form of an innocent human child. The expression in her eyes was unfathomable. She looked happy and sad at the same time, as if she wanted to laugh and cry. Kid remembered feeling that way when Ame almost died in his arms.

"Ame," he said. Ame looked up, suddenly taking the form of a white wolf, her eyes glistening with tears in the moonlight.

"Why?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's just the way it is. Life and then Death. You understand, don't you?"

Ame nodded slightly. Kid put a hand on her neck and stroked her silky fur softly. Why did she have to come?

"Come on, girl," he said. "It's time to go home."

**Hmm… a mysterious new teacher and strawberry jam…. Interesting. Lol, leave a review telling me what YOU think about Sayo Harumi and why Ame hates her guts! Also, Ame's been kinda crazy ever since the others found out she was the embodiment of Madness. In this chapter, she defines blood as 'strawberry jam.' Do you have any weird code references to things? Tell me in a review, because I'd love to know. :3**

** *Kind of like wolf in sheep's clothing reversed. However, Lord Death always called Ame 'Donkeyskin Girl' so he's twisting it around a bit.**


	53. Chapter 53

Ame stared at her bowl of cereal passively. Kid sat across the table from her, reading the newspaper and drinking his coffee. He'd already checked the house and was relaxing a bit before they had to go to school.

"There's a new movie coming out," Kid said. "If you want to see it."

He looked up. Ame seemed troubled by something. He set his coffee down and lowered the paper to look at her.

"Ame, is something wrong?"

Ame rubbed her lips together, muttering slightly before coming out and confessing.

"My mom wants to come and visit for a while, if that's okay!"

Kid would have dropped the paper if it was still in his hands. He relaxed a bit and smiled.

"Of course; that's fine. It would be nice to see your mother every once in a while."

Ikiru's Visit; A Goddess' Love for Everyone?

When Kid got home, he wasn't surprised to hear the sound of loud laughter coming from the living room. He smiled, putting his jacket in the closed and walking casually into the living room. No need to be nervous; this was his house after all and he seemed to be on better terms with Ikiru since Ame had that Madness attack.

He saw Ikiru and Ame sitting in front of the TV, playing a video game on one of the systems Soul had helped her find. It looked like some sort of fighting game; ironic for the gods of Life, isn't it?

"Paper slash!" Ame shouted.

"I'll crush you with this!" Ikiru laughed, clicking a couple buttons and performing a double combo. Ame's character got back on her feet and Ame did a psychotic amount of button-mashing before the screen was maxed out by her power attack.

"K.O.!" the television announced. The two girls burst out laughing.

"I'm impressed," Ikiru admitted, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "But can you still beat me in a tickle fight?!"

"No! No!" Ame squealed as Ikiru began tickling her furiously. Ame laughed hysterically until she put her head back, seeing Kid in the doorway. "Oh, hi, Kid!"*

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked. Ame was ticklish… he should keep that in mind. He smiled slightly. It was nice they played games together; Ame was a lucky girl.

"Nothing much," Ame replied. "Why don't you come join us?"

"No, no, it's fine…" Kid began backing away. He didn't want to intrude. Ame hardly ever got to see her mother now.

"We don't mind," Ikiru assured him, nodding him forward. "Come on; you need it."

Kid wasn't quite sure what she meant by that, but he complied. He sat down with them on the couch.

"What are you playing?" he asked.

"Marvel vs. Capcom 3," Ame replied. "You want to try?"

"No, that controller is asymmetrical," Kid declined politely.

"I always kind of wondered why people these days are so cruel to their children's dates," Ikiru mumbled thoughtfully. "I mean, threatening them and stuff. They should be happy; their child has found someone to mate with!"

"She's just like Ame!" Kid realized. He cleared his throat. "So, Ikiru, how was your trip?"

"I got lost and had to ask a Chinese guy for directions," Ikiru explained. "Actually, he was foreigner in China, but he wouldn't speak in his native language, so I couldn't really understand him. He ended up giving me some lamb and some goat cheese. I think there was some miscommunication."

"No there wasn't!" Ame called her out on her fib. "You asked for the lamb so we could have it for dinner."

"We're having lamb for dinner?!" Patti cheered happily, skipping in on their conversation.

The four of them laughed. They were having a good time.

Later that night, Liz woke up after dark and trudged downstairs to get something to drink. Ame was lucky she had a parent; the least she could do is not rub it in her face. Liz cursed under her breath when she found the pitcher in the fridge was gone**.

"Looking for something?"

Liz nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard that. She closed the fridge door and put a hand over her heart when she realized it was just Ikiru.

"You scared me," Liz panted, making her mouth even drier. Ikiru offered her a glass full of cold water, and Liz hesitantly took it. She knew what Ikiru was doing.

"I noticed you kind of… distanced yourself from us earlier," Ikiru made some casual conversation. Liz gritted her teeth. She didn't want the goddess's stupid pity.

"I'm just a bit of a loner is all," Liz shrugged indifferently.

"That's too bad," Ikiru sighed, looking out the window at the night sky. "I see people like you every day. They'd kill for all you have now, shelter, a partnership with Kid, for audience with a god, not to brag."

"Tch."

"But that's not what you want, is it?" Ikiru asked, turning back to Liz. Liz couldn't hold her gaze; those wise, old eyes bore into her soul in some unsound manner. "I know you don't trust me, Elizabeth, but this isn't about me. This is about you. I know you've had to be strong for your sister; it's made you into a fine young woman, but you never got to feel weak or sorry for yourself, did you?"

"Of course I felt weak!" Liz yelled, slamming her glass down on the counter. Cold water sloshed out of the cup and onto her hand. "I was scared to sleep at night. I thought that just closing my eyes would render me helpless and then someone would just come and murder me! Hurt my sister! Of course I felt sorry for myself; I was living with nothing. We got to take all the material things we wanted, but that just made our bounty higher. And of course you don't understand! You got to live as a sheltered goddess with a family and everyone that loves you!"

She stopped to take a breath, trying to read what effect this had on Ikiru. Her expression was unfathomable.

"I know what you were feeling, Liz," she said. "Because you told me every night in your prayers. You don't necessarily have to speak directly to me in your thoughts, but every desire or grief you have is immediately transferred to me. I feel your pain every day Liz; that's part of why I came here."

"Please," Liz scoffed, ducking her head to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. "Like a great god would come all this way just for me."

"People hate me, Liz," Ikiru said. "They shun me and curse my name because I don't choose to help whenever things get bad. There's an opportune moment for everything. In fact, I'm the one who gave you all you have today. I sealed your fate to meet Death the Kid. It's because of my work that you have riches, renown, and a safe place for the night…. But I know you want—no, need—something more. And I'm here to give you that last thing. All you wanted was a mother."

Liz looked up, the tears finally making themselves known. Ikiru held a hand out to her and she took it. Ikiru wrapped her in a warm hug as she began crying. Ikiru held her for a while, occasionally rocking her back and forth to calm her trembling sobs. Liz didn't attempt to stop any time soon. She had years of pain to get out of her system. She could only utter one thing in her fit.

"Thank you."

The next morning, Kid went downstairs to make breakfast when he noticed Ikiru and Liz sitting on the couch together. It looked like Liz was still asleep.

"Is everything alright?" he asked quietly. Ikiru smiled at him.

"Yes. Liz had a hard time sleeping last night, so I decided to sit with her a while."

Kid smiled warmly at his companion. It was amazing how Ikiru was able to get through to anybody like that.

***For those of you have read my fanfiction Cute, Almost Symmetrical Younger Sister; I kind of imagine this to be a common day in the household if Kid and Flander's mother was still alive. :')**

** **Remember that pitcher from when Kid got kidnapped? Ah, it feels like so long ago now.**


	54. Chapter 54

"Draw a circle and you'll see the Earth, the countries of all colors," Ame sang after they left the cell and went to the Death Room. "Happy New Year, celebrate—a drop of soy sauce on my tongue!"

"I haven't heard that in a while," Kid said quietly.

"Kid-sempai!" Ame cried.

"What?"

"You deserve a head-bash of love!"

"A head-bash of wha-?" Kid held his hands up. "No. No, no. No, no, no, no, no, no!"

BWASH!

"You seem awfully chipper," Lord Death noted as Ame sat down at the table.

"Why you," Kid muttered as he got to his feet and joined the others. "What's the big idea?! I said I was sorry!"

"Is that so?" Ame asked. "But anyway, I have a question. If someone kidnapped me and they start taunting me or monologueing, do I have an obligation to listen to them?"

"Why would you ask something like that?" Kid and Lord Death thought to themselves.

"I guess not," Kid admitted. "It's just kind of respectful and it gets lonely and boring when you're alone and I guess… I don't know."

Ame's Mysterious Quest; What Do You Think About Equality?

With this reassurance in mind, Ame made her way far from Gallows Manor at night. The Peace Bell was hanging from her obi, jingling every so often as she danced through the streets. It was almost time. She felt them approaching through her sixth sense, but she didn't falter. Let them come to her. She needed information from them.

It was so sudden that she jumped. She was suddenly grabbed, and a strong chemical was shoved under her nose. Ame went limp in submission immediately before losing complete consciousness. The cloth was dropped and someone picked her up.

"That was easy," a male voice said. "She's smaller than we expected. I hope the restraints will fit her. Come on, Yatsu. Kai is waiting for us."

"I don't know why that fox witch needs us as her lackeys," Yatsu complained. "Can't she just get Amaterasu herself? Her Gitsune powers are definitely more powerful than ours."

"We are Gitsune, nothing more," the first one said for the hundredth time. "Now stop being stupid and come on."

"Don't call me stupid, Kiba!"

"Just do as she says," Kiba said. His voice was soft, but evil. Ame was suddenly glad she had played dead for them to listen in on their conversation.

"Father, have you seen Ame?" Kid asked later the next day. "I'm kind of worried. She left her shoes and coat at the house when she went out…. I don't think she just forgot them."

"Maybe she went somewhere in her wolf form," Lord Death suggested, trying not to be too concerned with it. "But why wouldn't she tell you she was going out?"

"I haven't a clue," Kid shook his head. "I have a bad feeling about this. Do you think something happened to her?"

"I don't want you to worry yourself," the other cautioned. "But it is a possibility."

Ame was in a dark room, bound to the wall by chains around her hands and feet. She smelled blood and dirt. She knew this feeling. It was the feeling of despair; Kid felt it when Rem took him, and now she felt it when their enemy took her. Wasn't this ironic?

"Finally awake, are you?" a woman sneered from where she was standing over Ame. Ame's arms were extended straight out on either side of her, and her legs were tucked under her in a traditional kneel.

Ame studied her position and the bloody chains with narrowed eyes. "This is the sacrifice position. Why am I playing the sacrifice? What are they planning? A revival?"

"She asked you a question, runt!" Kiba yelled, lunging forward and slapping Ame across the face. Ame blinked and shook her head.

"If you weren't a recolor of Kid's enemies*, I'd find you interesting enough to listen and talk to, but I'm sorry; I just can't," Ame said.

"Why you!" Another hit. "How dare you talk to us like that? Know your place!"

"Recolor," Ame thought lazily as he continued beating her. She knew he had no choice but to go easy on her; she had the Peace Bell equipped. The peak of their hatred will be faced, but not now.

"Stop that!" Kai ordered. She was a beautiful woman with a long fox tail and matching ears. Her hair was short at the back with two twin tails weaving together below her chin and held in place with a fox tie. Her pupils were pointed and piercing, almost like a snake's eyes. "We don't want her too beat up before the ceremony."

"Ceremony?" Ame thought. She remained mute as she raised her head.

"Tell us where the other Zodiac gods are," Kai warned. Behind her, Kiba and Yatsu brandished shiny knives and other weapons of dissection and torture. "Or we'll make you."

"Never!" Ame yelled the corniest and most cliché thing she could. It still sounded like she was mocking the eighties films where everyone had the same falsetto scream.

"Fine, have it your way," Kai nodded to her accomplices. "She's yours for now."

She left and the other two stepped forward.

"Any last requests?"

"I only do shiny tools," Ame said sternly. She couldn't resist this no matter how silent she'd intended to be. "I know I'm your vulnerable prisoner, but I have standards."

"Like you have a say," Yatsu laughed. "This entire place is rigged with anti-Madness tools. You can't transform, summon your instruments, or use your ink. You'll never hurt one of our fellow Gitsune again."

Soul Eater

The mirror in the Death Room began to glow and Kid and Lord Death looked at it expectantly. The woman who appeared in the reflection could have been… Medusa. But it couldn't be her; this one was a fox. It was just a coincidence.

"Can I help you?" Lord Death's voice was reserved.

"I'm not the one who needs help," Kai laughed cruelly and stepped to the side, revealing a small white-furred wolf girl kneeling by the wall. She was covered in her own blood and her head was hanging down.

"Ame!" Kid shouted in horror. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"Her ink won't work, we have her hidden where no one can find her, and she's vulnerable in this state," Kai growled. "So I suggest you do as I say."

"Ame," Kid whispered. She must be so scared. Ame twitched and spit black blood on the ground in front of her and raised her head slowly. Kid saw a meaningful flame at the back of her teary eyes as she dipped her grey tail in the puddle and raised it to the wall behind her. She shakily wrote a small message.

"You owe me big time."

Kid's heart sank. She'd purposely gotten herself captured to get information about the Gitsune demons. Stupid, selfish, thoughtful goddess.

Ame tapped her tail on the message again, underlining a few words.

"You owe me **big time**."

Kid sighed. Of course he did. He'd get her food or whatever she wanted as soon as they found her.

"BIG TIME, KID!"

"Wait a minute," Kid thought. "She's trying to tell me something. Big time? Time would be… something like a clock. Big clock? What is she talking about? Did she leave something in the clock at home or—"

His eyes widened. "The Zodiac clock!"

He nodded once to Ame, who smiled and relaxed again… before she was brutally stabbed in the shoulder. Her eyes widened, but she forced herself to stay silent. She couldn't cry.

"Ame!" Kid cried.

"Still silent, are you?" Yatsu demanded. "Alright, fine—I'll make sure you start talking."

"I know it looks badass in some countries," Ame cut in. "But in this situation, you'd just look like a pervert with a Lolita complex."

"Shut up!"

"I'll give you three days, Reaper," Kai interjected before Ame could embarrass them further. Smartass.

The mirror suddenly went dark. Kid stepped back in surprise; he hadn't realized he was shaking.

"I'm sorry, Kid, I know you want to help Ame, but I couldn't give up the school and Ikiru's location," Lord Death said quietly, avoiding eye contact. Kid was befuddled. He'd never seen him like this.

"Father?"

"She kind of reminds me of you," he smiled at his son. "Always making smartass comments in the worst of situations."

Kid sweat-dropped; he guessed he did do that a bit.

"Kid, I want you and your weapons to go and find whatever Ame was talking about as soon as you can. I'm going to send every team I possibly can out to find her. We're going to get her back!"

Kid nodded. He'd never seen him like this, but he didn't argue. As long as they got Ame back. Kid turned on his heel and ran out of the room. Liz and Patti met him at the front gates.

"Come on, you two," Kid said, summoning Beelzebub and holding his hands out. "Ame's been kidnapped."

"What?!" Liz cried as they transformed immediately. "By who?! Where is she?!"

"By a trio of Gitsune, we don't know where she is," Kid replied quickly as they began flying through the air. "We're going to the Zodiac clock."

There was a moment of silence and the girls soon realized that his hands were shaking.

"Kid?" Liz asked quietly. "You okay?"

"Poor Ame," he whispered. "How could I let this happen? She must be so scared."

He thought back to when he was kidnapped and tortured by Rem. She'd forced him to rip off his own fingernails, beg for forgiveness of everyone's sin…. He almost went mad in that place. If it hadn't been for his friends finding him, he would have killed himself. What was Ame feeling now, suffering for all the things she didn't do? Will she be alright?

"We'll find her," Liz insisted. "Just like we found you."

Kid smiled at her. "At least you aren't making a boyfriend joke."

***If you think about it, Kai was like Medusa, Kiba is kind of like Gopher, and Yatsu is like Giriko. I did that on purpose for the whole 'equality' thing. But yes, it's very exaggerated and a bit more like a parody so you can laugh at the hopeless unoriginality.**


	55. Chapter 55

Ame felt someone kick her side rather roughly. She jerked awake, spitting up red blood.

"Get up," Kiba growled. "Are you ready to tell us yet?"

Silence. Kiba growled though his teeth.

"Don't ignore me, wolf!"

"Stop," Kai snapped. Kiba backed away to fiddle with more blades and chains whilst Kai moved in front of Ame. "You're a quiet one. Not even a scream elicited from that perfect throat. You don't want us to hear your voice, do you?" she knelt in front of Ame. "You must feel pretty bad in here. No light, no water… no food. I bet you're starving."

Ame didn't move, so Kai continued.

"We've been watching you for a while. We know how much you love food. We know how weak you'll be without it."

"Idiot," Ame thought disdainfully. "I only ate so much so I could gain the strength to survive here. I've been here for two days already. Kid… hurry the heck up, you chicken sandwich!"

"Please live, Amaterasu," Justin was praying whilst walking through the streets. "Show us your divine light of hope again."

"Did we have to bring him?" Spirit asked rather irately as he and Stein followed the priest through the dark alleyways.

"He's dedicated to Ame as a god, Lord Death thinks he'll be able to sense Ame and help us track her."

"Oh, great," Spirit muttered sarcastically.

"Kid, what are we looking for at the clock?" Liz asked.

"I'm not sure," Kid replied. "But I have a feeling…."

Stolen Power; Secrets of the Demon Lord?

"Why aren't you begging for your life?!" Kiba demanded of the silent wolf.

"This is getting boring," Yatsu muttered, drinking from a thin bottle.

"Don't drink that!" Kiba yelled, annoyed. Yatsu, startled, released the glass bottle and it clattered to the floor. "That's for the offering to the Demon Lord. We need all the blood and ink we can get. But no matter how hard I stab her, this brat won't bleed black blood."

"Darn it, without the Ink, the knowledge of all the gods will be pointless," Yatsu grumbled. "Without their power, Kitsune-sama won't be able to use the brush techniques. We're lucky we were able to get that drunken sheep to squeal."

"We'll get her to talk soon enough," Kiba turned back to Ame with a glowing red iron rod in his hands. He grabbed one of Ame's ears and forced her head up before stabbing the scorching hot metal on her neck. Ame tensed, curling her toes and gritting her teeth.

Kid stepped towards the Zodiac clock, weapons in hand, looking for any clues to what he was looking for. The place seemed empty without Ame there. He felt the ground shake and recoiled.

"What in the world?!"

A dark aura seemed to engulf the structure as eight serpent heads broke out of the eight pools of water. Kid gasped at the sight of the demon.

"Child of Death," a deep voice growled. "I never expected you to come so quickly. After I captured those revived brush gods and gave them to the Gitsune, I've been waiting here to defend our new headquarters. It's quite boring out here all by myself. Maybe eating you as a meal would make things worthwhile."

Kid gritted his teeth and aimed his weapons at the demon. He didn't deserve divine power if he was going to use it for evil.

"What is this thing?" Liz asked.

"I don't know, but he's not that powerful," Kid said. "Just an apparition of power… like a shadow."

"Listen, wolf!" Kai cursed, stabbing Ame again. "I know you want to seem strong in front of Death, but what about here, huh? We're all alone, not even Kiba and Yatsu are here. It's just one on one with us girls." Stab. "So come on, spare me a sound of displeasure, will you? Please, benevolent Amaterasu?"

Ame began trembling with laughter. She threw her head back and kept laughing as Kai kept stabbing her in frustration.

Kid watched the eighth head of the serpent demon fall. He hurried into the room with the Infinity mirror and watched Kasugami and several other gods, taken from Ame's body when the mist attacked her in the corn field, take back into the sky like stars falling in reverse once they were freed.

"So they were using the gods," Kid realized. "With the god of time, Ame could have been there for months and it would feel like a few days here!"

Kid looked at the mirror. He saw a shining image of Kabegami, the cat god of surfaces, before his weapons disappeared from his hands and he was pulled into the Divine Realm. The beautiful porcelain cat was balancing on a giant ball of yarn.

"Greetings, Death the Kid," she purred. "What brings me in contact with you without the guidance of our beloved Amaterasu?"

"She's been captured," Kid explained.

"Yes," Kabegami nodded. "I've seen the whole thing from my place in the sky. It was the Gitsune, Kai, that brought her to this untimely fate."

"Can you tell me more?" Kid asked. "We need to know where she is, at least, so we can retrieve her when she gives us the signal."

"She already told you," Kabegami mewed, rolling on her paws. "Big time would mean a clock. A clock like that in the center of Death City, correct?"

With that, Kid snapped to the present. Liz was shouting his name repeatedly, shaking him slightly. Kid's eyes refocused and he pulled away from her.

"I'm fine," he reassured her.

"But I'm not," Liz whimpered, looking behind him. "Look."

Kid turned around. Words were suddenly appearing on the wall, as if written by an invisible brush. Liz was shaking and whimpering and panicking, but Kid ignored it.

"Will you calm down already?" he sighed. "It's Kabegami, god of surfaces. She's communicating so you could know what's going on."

"Oh," Liz whispered, still slightly afraid.

Kid began reading out loud. "Gitsune are fox servants of the fox lords Kitsune. If these Gitsune are using Ame for a sacrifice, they must be summoning their Kitsune master. I've been gone long, yet I fear this isn't one of your previous enemies. Ame's silence is bringing forth information from the Gitsune as we speak. She's almost got it figured out. In my old age, my ears have deteriorated, but Ame will tell you more. Time is short, but no matter what, DO NOT go to the Gitsune's lair. They are located underneath Death City, in a hidden den underneath the clock tower."

"Thank you, Kabegami," Kid nodded gratefully. "You don't know how much this means to us. We'll use this information wisely."

Kabegami paused, her eyes widening in surprise. Was she just… thanked? What should she do now? Should she… thank him for thanking her? Her eyes refocused on her small ball of yarn as she saw Kid step toward her shrine on the wall. He unwrapped a small bundle and set it down on her pedestal. Kabegami recognized it as three rice balls with fish on them. She licked her lips as she felt a sudden twinge of strength deep within her core. Kid bowed once before leaving. Kabegami stared after him.

"Eh… you're welcome," she called after him, knowing the Shinigami could hear her through his mind. She continued to herself as she pawed her ball of yarn. "I really like him."

Lord Death turned to the mirror as he got another call. It was Kai again.

"Change your mind yet?" she sneered.

"I'm still thinking about it," Lord Death shot back. He had only one day left.

"Please don't be so selfish," Kai chided. "Think about how your dear goddess feels right now. She's not doing too good."

She stepped aside to reveal Ame's crooked form pinned to the wall by spikes on her hands. Her head was hanging and her breath was heavy. She was cut and burned, teased and tortured. She was covered in blood and dirt, and she looked smaller and vulnerable. Dangerously vulnerable. It made his heart sick to see her like this.

"Ame," he said clearly so that she could hear him. "How are you doing?"

Ame inhaled as much air as her pierced lungs would allow and let out a single, clear word.

"Woof!"

Lord Death understood at once. She was ready to come home.

"She can't last much longer," Kai taunted. "If you don't decide now, we might just have to…."

The mirror went fuzzy again. He just cut her off.

"Rude," she scoffed. She turned to Kiba and Yatsu. "This is pointless. We need black blood, but we can't get it from her. And our master said Crona's black blood wouldn't work. Hm… do you think Kitsune-sama would like the taste of her nails?"

They ripped the spikes out of her hands and yanked her to her feet, dragging her to the table despite her weak struggles. She didn't want her nails ripped off! They threw her on her knees, knowing she didn't have the strength to stand, and Kiba held her down whilst Yatsu held her arm in place of the nail-ripping device and Kai positioned her fist over the lever. Ame felt a single tear fall down her face—the first in weeks—before the doorway was kicked in and light poured through. Ame looked up, wagging her tail despite her fatigue.

"When you kidnap someone, you should find a better place to hide than under the city," Stein muttered as he stepped in, wielding Death Scythe. Justin walked in as well, and Kai froze.

"Hi, Justin," Ame smiled at her favorite priest.


	56. Chapter 56

"Looks like it all went according to plan," Lord Death said as he watched the scene on his mirror. "Kid, maybe you should go greet them—?"

He turned, but Kid was already gone. He shook his head, smiling slightly under his mask. Kid ran down the hallways as fast as his legs could carry him. He saw Ame in Stein's arms at the gate.

"Ame!" he called as he continued to run towards them. He felt as if he couldn't move fast enough. It was like a valley between them; it was like a beautiful dream that couldn't be true.

"Kid!" she cried, crawling out of Stein's arms and bolting towards Kid. Her feet were twisted and swore and her knees gave out several times, but she carried on. She didn't even transform.

She slammed into him and felt his arms circling her securely.

"I missed you!" she said. Kid held her tightly so she wouldn't fall. She whimpered slightly and buried her face in his neck. He stroked her hair.

"I missed you too." He felt tears begin to cloud his eyes. Slightly annoyed, he wiped them away.

"Did you find it?" Ame whispered.

"Yes," Kid nodded. "We defeated the monster and rescued Kasugami."

"Good," she whispered, sighing in relief and closed her eyes.

Equality 3; Ame's Healing?

"Your eyes have suffered quite a bit of damage," Stein reported as he checked Ame over.

"She'll be okay, right?" Kid asked, worried.

"It should be temporary," Stein replied. "It's a rather pathetic attempt at eye-gouging, really. If she doesn't heal in a couple days, though…."

"So she is blind," Kid turned back to Ame, examining her bloody right eye. He remembered how bad he felt when he was blind. Now Ame had to suffer through that too. He kicked himself for not protecting her. "How's your left eye?"

"Crystal clear," she replied quiet. She reached up to cover it. "But I'd rather be blind than always look through this eye. Please just let me cover it."

"… As you wish," Kid nodded. It would be more symmetrical that way anyway, right? Not that that was his concern right now.

"I want to go home," Ame said. Stein sighed.

"Please be patient," he said, patting her head slowly. "Just one more test. If everything checks out, you can go home tonight."

"Amaterasu!" a female squealed, running into the infirmary. It was Sayo.

"Now I really want to go home," Ame muttered.

"I know it's late, but I just had to come here as soon as I heard you'd come back. I've been praying every night to I don't know who, begging that you come back safe and sound. Thank you, Amaterasu."

Ame sighed. Maybe she was wrong about Sayo. If it weren't for her prayers, she wouldn't have had the strength to stay there.

"Sayo," Ame murmured. She held her hand out. In her palm was what looked like a marble. "I trust you. Take this to Lord Death for me, okay? It's the orb that the Gitsune kept all that power in."

"What?" Sayo tilted her head to the side.

"I was wrong to judge you like I did," Ame said. "But I trust you now, so don't let me down."

"Yes! Of course!" Sayo chirped with joy, taking the small bead in her hands gently. "I'll do as you ask, Amaterasu."

"Hey, Ame, are you sure you should be walking around?" Liz asked as they made their way home. Ame was a few feet behind them already. "You've lost a lot of blood and you're limping really bad."

"I bet Kid can carry you!" Patti said. Ame stiffened.

"You don't have to carry me," she interjected, but a few steps later, she slid to her knees, bracing her upper body on her hands.

Kid sighed, kneeling beside her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "You have a broken foot. Now get on."

Ame didn't look at him as she reached out and climbed onto his back. He got to his feet.

"She's lost a lot of weight," he mentally noted as he began walking again.

Once at home, Liz and Patti brought Ame upstairs for a nice bath. Meanwhile, in the hallway, Kid was suddenly body slammed and held against the wall by his throat. He looked up to see Nagi and Rin standing over him with very unhappy expressions.

"What have you done?" Rin snarled.

"What are you talking about?!" Kid choked out.

"How could you let this happen?"

"Please," Kid begged, cringing. He was a little scared for his life now.

"Do you want us to rip your eyes out?!" Nagi demanded. "She can't see! What if you were blind forever this time?! She won't give you her eyes!"

"No, stop!" Kid screamed as Nagi began running his claws down his face.

"Nagi, Rin!" a voice barked. The two cleared away at their mother's voice immediately. Kid relaxed slightly. She stood in front of him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Good." She closed the distance between them, bracing one hand against the wall above his head and towering over him intimidatingly. He shrank back with a whimper. Scary Ikiru was back. She glared at him. "Listen here, Kid. I entrust my daughter's life and wellbeing to you. I understand that she did this on her own accord, but if this ever happens again, I swear I will rip out your eyes and shove them down your throat, so you can see my claws tear your carcass open!"

Kid gulped.

"You're going to look like a Picasso painting when I'm done with you, got it?"

Nod, nod.

"Good." Ikiru sighed and put her arm down. She smiled at him and ruffled his hair before leaving. Kid stared after them, his eyes wide with fear. "Take care of my daughter while I'm gone!"*

"She's going to kill me," Kid sobbed quietly. "She's really going to kill me one day."

After dressing her wounds, Liz and Patti helped Ame downstairs where Kid was cooking dinner. He was a little out of practice since he was used to Ame cooking all the time. He made some of her favorite ramen with beef and set it on the table. She ignored her manners and followed her nose to the food. She wrapped her chopsticks around some noodles hastily and took a bite, only to draw back, yelping in pain. She burned herself. Kid smirked nervously and sat next to her, offering some water. She took a large gulp and smiled at him. He smiled back. He missed her so much.

"Here," he offered her some bread to pass the time before her soup cooled. She tore off bits of the bread with her teeth, dipping a few in the soup before gobbling them down. It took her a moment, but when she realized she was being watched, she froze, gritting her teeth and trembling in her self-defensive way as she tried to sniff out what she couldn't see.

"It's okay," Kid tried to keep the smirk out of his voice as he wrapped a hand around her and moved closer to help her eat.

"Wipe that smirk off your face."

"Man, she's good," he thought in panic.

Soul Eater

She ate all she could and fell asleep, sighing contently with every exhale. Kid smiled and carried her upstairs to sleep. She was tiny and fragile, but he could feel a great power radiating from her soul. She would be fine soon. He tucked her in and sat down on the bed next to her. He still didn't want to leave her alone tonight.

"Kid?" she whispered, turning over. It seemed, although she was sleep-deprived, she was just sleeping heavily in short naps. Kid put a hand on her warm forehead. Her face relaxed into a small pout as she reached for one of his hands and began tracing her fingers along the lines of his palm. "I learned something important. Really important."

"What is it?" Kid asked.

"You know that wolf dog… the one that blinded you all that time ago?"

Kid was surprised to still be hearing about this. It happened about a year ago now, and no one had brought it up in spite of the wolf being dead already. What could Ame possibly have figured out about it now?

"It was the Gitsune who sent him when they were too weak," Ame explained. "They wanted your eyes. They wanted god eyes for their master."

"Ame…" Kid didn't really know what to say. It was ironic how the two events were so connected to each other. "Thank you for figuring it out…. It means a lot to me."

Ame was silent for a moment, childishly exploring the lines of his hand with her slim fingertips. Finally, she spoke up. "It's scary being blind. It's just vasty nothingness."

"I know," Kid sympathized. "Wolves are born blind, aren't they?"

"Yeah, but I didn't have anything to see back then." Kid snorted, his hand slipping down her face to her neck, where a dark burn scar on her neck. His eyes widened. They'd thought of everything, didn't they? It looked like a swirl with four lines around it.

"Is this…" he swallowed. "What did they do to you?"

"It's my blueprint for a new sun," Ame explained. "They put it there so I wouldn't forget changing it."

"How can you recreate the sun?" Kid asked. "I mean, I know you're god, but don't you need a specific brush power to do it?"

Ame smirked smugly. "Inugami, god of Sun Rise. As the dog of the Zodiac, he's closest to Inochigami. Even if his constellation is broken, we still share the power of Sun Rise. Inochigami are blessed with that power at their birth. I wonder where he is now."

"We'll find him," Kid whispered passively. "Maybe he'll send some light for you."

"Yeah," Ame murmured. "Heal my eyes."

Kid lifted his hand to her face, brushing a few tears away from her eyes. She sniffled and jerked away, releasing his hand and burying her face in a pillow.

"I'm not crying!"

"Ame, don't behave like this," Kid chided, putting as hand on her back to make sure she didn't fall off the bed. "I know what you're going through and I'll help you. This is only for a while."

"No!" Ame shouted. "This is forever! All the questions were answered, now I can't see answers anymore! What would happen to us? Soul becomes a death scythe and you surpass your father, who dies alone. I shouldn't be found. But… since you didn't know about any of this, all that pain that your father has hidden away was transferred to you with his power. You couldn't know. What is this pain? You couldn't know. If it wasn't my fault, then it was my duty to end it all.**"

Kid cringed. Did she mean to kill… and eat him?

"Ame," he said sternly. "Listen to me. I know it's hard not knowing what's going to happen. I had enough of that myself when Asura was around. Ame, you did something much better than eating me. You saved me from that pain. Never regret coming here."

"No," Ame murmured. "I did something much, much worse."

***In case you're thinking "Ikiru is a terrible parent, where was she when Ame was actually kidnapped, blah blah blah blah blah?!" Well, Ikiru was watching and actively searching just like everyone else, I just didn't include any scenes with her. As for Nagi and Rin, well… I don't know.**

** **Reference to my 'alternate version' on YouTube 'The Last Inochigami.' Big spoilers for the next arc, but you know how it goes. You can check it out if you like :D**


	57. Chapter 57

"What do we do when we are accepted?" Ame thought. "I've forgotten. Do we smile? Yes. Do we laugh? Yes. We like it when we are accepted. All we have to do is run to meet them."

It was around six in the morning when Ame woke up again. She was kneeling in front of the toilet, throwing up blood and acid. Kid sat next to her, rubbing her back and frowning sympathetically. He wished there was some way he could help her, but she was a god; medicine didn't work on her.

Ame soon stopped, panting slightly. She turned back to Kid and gave him a broad grin. He couldn't help but smirk back at her. She always made things better with that smile. He picked her up again and began carrying her back to bed.

Healing 2; The Power to See with Covered Eyes?

Ame was still sound asleep by the time Liz and Patti got ready for school. Kid was staying home with her to make sure she didn't get sick again. Liz checked in before they left.

"How is she?" she asked.

"Not good," Kid replied. "She has a fever. She wouldn't stop throwing up blood last night. I'm sorry, but I can't go with you girls to school today."

"That's alright," Liz frowned sympathetically, watching Ame as she struggled in her sleep. "I just hope she feels better soon. We'll be back at four with take-out."

"Thank you," Kid nodded and she left. He turned back to Ame. Her greyish eyes were wide open. "I see you're awake now. How do you feel?"

"I don't think I'll get sick again," Ame said, sitting up. "But some food would be nice."

"How do your feet feel?" Kid asked. Ame wiggled her toes experimentally. "Do you think you could walk? You need to move around some to get used to not seeing things. If you can make it downstairs, I'll feed you."

Ame nodded eagerly and swung her feet off the side of the bed. She lurched upright, shaking slightly and reaching out for something to grab on to. Kid took both of her hands, (symmetrically, of course), and guided her a few steps forward. Ame zoned out, trying to use her Landscaping power to scale out her surroundings. However, all she saw were plants and normal structures. She no longer felt the ground beneath her feet and panicked.

"Ame!"

"Oh my god we aren't on the ground!"

"We're on the second floor," Kid corrected her. "Come on, just calm down and learn what I teach you."

Ame turned her head in the general direction of his voice and nodded. She had to do this.

"There, that's good," Kid praised as Ame sat down at the table.

"Feet hurt," Ame whimpered.

"Yes," Kid mumbled, shuffling through the kitchen. "You took quite the eight-step fall down the stairs. Here, I made this soup for you a while ago."

He offered her a spoonful. "Nyaaaaam."

Ame blushed, falling out of her chair as she got a huge nosebleed.

"Dang it, Ame!"

"Sorry."

Soul Eater

Later that day, Ame was reading Braille books in bed and when she heard someone walk in.

"Ame, someone came here to see you," Liz said as she walked in. Ame heard several pairs of feet moving into the room.

"Hi there!" Maka greeted.

"What's up?" Blackstar added.

"Hi, Ame," Tsubaki chimed in.

"It's no fun being sick," Soul said sympathetically.

"How are you feeling?" Crona asked.

"Much better now that you're all here!" Ame grinned.

"Thank god," Kid sighed, getting up and leaving the room. "Now I can straighten that painting in the hallway. It's been bugging me for an hour."

"I brought you some books," Maka said. "It could be a while until you can leave the house, so I thought you might enjoy these."

Ame ran her fingers along the title of one.

"Just six billion and seven left to go," Soul muttered.

"I hate to be an Indian giver, but could I have that back for a moment?" Maka asked Ame, snatching one of the books and Maka-Chopping Soul.

Kid sighed as the painting was made level again. He turned back to the doorway of Ame's room when he heard laughter. He paused. Although it wasn't that strange to hear Ame laughing, it just didn't seem to fit the situation. She's facing a lot of what Kid had to face. Blindness, and torture, and healing…. He remembered he didn't laugh at all during those weeks. So why was Ame…?

He gazed only a moment at her peaceful face. She was talking to the others like she always did, using dramatic hand motions and such. She looked really happy. Of course. That's it. She was laughing because she was happy. She was happy. Kid put his hand over his eyes and wiped away his tears before looking up and smiling again.

"A benevolent goddess indeed," he said, moving in to join the others. "So that's why you ordered take-out."

"Well, we knew Ame was lonely," Liz defended herself.

"So, Ame, what brilliant story do you have to tell us this time?" Tsubaki asked as they all began eating. Usually Kid doesn't allow food in the bedrooms, but he made an exception. Ame was telling a story.

"The Gitsune were servants to a Kitsune-sama that they are going to bring to high power soon, but they needed me to do it. They needed my blood, of course, but also my ink and knowledge from the Zodiac gods. I have a feeling that this Kitsune has a Brush. They had already captured Kasugami and used Mist to slow down time in the outside world. I was there for days. Are you all following along so far?"

"Yes, go on."

"I heard they wanted to gouge out my eyes, so this master of theirs needs the eyes of a divine being such as an Inochigami or Shinigami. When I heard this, I did the only thing I could do."

"What did you do?" Liz asked. They were all very intensely drawn into her story.

"I cut the ropes away with my nails—that's why they are chipped off—and cut my eyes with a rusted nail."

"How does that help your case?!" Kid demanded. "You mean you did this to yourself?!"

"These Gitsune… they speak of a great god—their god—that will come…"

"Please stop ignoring me," Kid growled between his teeth.

"It's a prophecy from the land of darkness and blah, blah, blah…. The point is!" She hook-shot her notebook over to her lap from her desk and uncapped a marker. "This is a creature of mass destruction. He will do all it takes to destroy us. And if we don't run, then we are crazy."

She held up her drawing; a large fox with a brush for a tail, blood pouring from his mouth and claws, beady red eyes, and a Divine Instrument coming out of his mouth.

"Impressive."

Soul Eater

Later at night, Kid and Ame were walking though the garden. It was a peaceful night.

"I like it out here much better," Ame sighed. "I can feel where I going—!"

She cut off when she stubbed her toe on a small stone wall.

"I was wondering why those plants were floating," she whimpered. She shook her head and straightened up, limping across the garden and being more mindful of floating plants. Her Landscape vision was selective; she could only see unman-made things like organic plants because that is how she gained her power. Ame kept walking when the ground beneath her suddenly felt hollow again, as if they were on the second floor of a building.

Before she knew it, the ground gave out beneath her feet and she was falling. She let out a yelp as she hit the bottom of the pit roughly.

"Ame! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ame called back up. What the heck was Kid doing with a pit in his backyard? She got to her feet and gasped as the land was laid before her. It wasn't a pit; it was a Nirvana hole! She suddenly felt very happy. Stone, fountain, or clover; she could see it all down here!

She danced along the edge of the small island of heaven until she reached the fountain. She fingered around in her pockets, fishing out coins and yen. She tossed all she could into the pond and it began to bubble happily as the god nearest to it came to drink.

"Benevolent Amaterasu," two voices greeted. It was Hanagami and Kabegami. "We thank you for your generosity. Your kindness has made power grow inside us. Now, we, Hanagami and Kabegami, give you a new power that may come in handy. We give you the power to see natural and unnatural surface with Landscape 2."

When Ame crawled back out of the Nirvana hole, she could see everything with her Landscaping vision. Plants, houses, walls… everything.

"Cool."


	58. Chapter 58

Ame's eyes healed in a few days. As soon as she was back on her feet, she joined the others in the hunt for the Gitsune. She always had bodyguards around her, whether it be her brothers or students from the academy. She didn't mind like Kid would have though; she enjoyed the company.

Kid wasn't around as much anymore. He spent most of his time at the academy once Ame had healed; he was assisting as much as he could charting missions and monitoring the missions. He was learning all he would need to know once he surpassed his father. However, Ame knew that wasn't at all the reason he was at the academy so much. He wanted something all humans want at one point or another.

Revenge. He wanted to find those who did that to Ame.

It scared Ame seeing him so fired up all the time. It was actually starting to take a toll on his body. Now he just seemed tired and refused to quit.

Darkening Skies; A Time We Need Gods Most?

Boredom in Death City was at an all-time low. Kishin were feasting off the dark energy that seemed to radiate within the entire world, growing so strong that sometimes Kid and Ame had to intervene in the student's missions. Even Ame couldn't rest; everyone was so panicked and unhappy about this or that so she didn't get any rest. She helped all she could, but still their prayers were unanswered.

Ame knew what this was; it was the darkness that had attacked her at the onsen. It was starting to make its move on the world. All she could do was keep Death City as safe as she could.

Kid was busy too. He stayed after hours at the academy, helping his father chart missions and observe them through the mirror. He was keeping his eye out for any potential threats such as the demon children from the corn field or the Gitsune that kidnapped Ame. It was a stressful and tedious task that leeched away most of his energy. When he came home, all he could muster before going to bed was giving Ame a stiff smile. He even stopped taking the lunch Ame prepared for him. Ame was starting to worry like any good wife would, but she had her own worries right now.

It was a Sunday when Kid was finally free for Ame to spend time with. They had decided to patrol streets of Death City together, so they were doing something productive as well. Ame stuck close to Kid's side. She was so tired lately, and it wasn't just the excessive amount of jobs she'd been doing lately. Something more was taking her energy, as if the neither the sun shone nor the rain fell.

"Ame, are you alright?" Kid asked her as she leaned on his shoulder. "You've been awfully quiet."

"I'm just thinking," she said.

"About why people sleep on the cold side of their pillows?" Kid joked.

"No," Ame replied stiffly. "I was thinking about the missions you've been monitoring."

Kid frowned. "You shouldn't worry like I do. It's not natural for you, and it makes everyone else a bit jumpy."

"I'm sorry," Ame replied.

"… No, it's fine. I think you should stay home tomorrow," Kid added. "Tomorrow is the first day of the new school year. No one will be able to watch you."

"…" It was clear she didn't want to agree. "Okay."

Another plus about Ame; she doesn't argue.

Ame looked up when she heard soft crying. She saw a little girl standing a few feet away from them, crying over a dead animal. It looked like a rabbit.

"Here, give me a sec," Ame said, moving to stand next to the girl and put a hand around her. Kid followed Ame's example. The girl looked up at them, sniffling. "Hey, what's wrong? You're so upset."

"I-it's Haru!" the girl sobbed. "He won't move. I think he was killed by the darkness!"

"Killed by the darkness?" Ame thought. "She must be talking about the new moon. The moon hasn't been out since the night at the corn field."

"Let me see him," Ame said, kneeling next to the dead black and white rabbit. "Bunny?" she asked in a sweet voice. "Bunny, wake up." Her tone turned impatient. "Bunny, just wake the heck up. Geez."

"Ame, that won't work," Kid said, facepalming at her stupidity. He looked up when he heard a soft squeak. "Huh. Maybe it did."

The bunny rabbit was on his feet again in an instant, hoping about happily as if nothing bad had ever happened. Ame nailed the bunny by the ears and gave him back to the little girl.

"Here," she said. "Take good care of him. Make sure he gets water."

"I will! Thank you so much, Amaterasu!"

Ame smiled and looked up when she felt a warm light shining down on her. It was another constellation.

Ame drew in three stars, momentarily amazed at the shape they made. It was Yumigami, the rabbit god of the moon.

Soul Eater

"That's another power in hand," Kid said. "Or in your case, in paw."

"That was terrible," Ame scolded passively. "Never say that again."

"You would have said the same thing!"

"How many powers is that, exactly?" Ame thought. "Let's see… Yomigami, Tachigami, Hanagami, Bakugami, Nuregami, Kazegami, Kabegami, Moegami, Yumigami."

"Darn it," Kid muttered.

"What?"

"The symmetry is gone," he seethed.

"It's circle nine!" Ame chirped.

"Huh?"

"…" Ame waited a beat before revealing the punch line of her bad anime reference. "We're idiots!"

"That only leaves three to find," Kid said. "I know there's Inugami, but who else? I'd look it up in that book, but a few pages were torn out in the back, so I'm not quite sure where else to look."

"I don't know either," Ame admitted. "It's said that the book was torn in half at one point, so I don't know the last two brush gods. I do know something fun about Yumigami, though."

"That's the Ame I know," Kid smiled at her. "Always trying to make things better."

"Anyway, since Inochigami got a freebee from the god of the sun, don't you think Yumigami wouldn't get along with them very well?"

"I suppose not."

"Well, they didn't until Amaterasu mated with that prophet. That prophet was of the Moon Tribe; at the creation of Chibiterasu, Inochigami then knew no hatred amongst the celestial gods."

"That's good," Kid said. "Come on, draw that moon in and let's go home. It's getting late."

"Okay," Ame used her paintbrush tail to draw the crescent moon in the sky before skipping after Kid.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Ame sensed something. Ame growled, lowering herself into her wolf form and locking her gaze onto one of the shadows in the alleyway. Kid stiffened.

"What is it, girl?"

There was a slight scuffling sound in the shadows, then the pitter patter of retreating feet.

"Was that one of them?" Kid asked.

"Yeah," Ame growled. "Disgusting cowards. Let's hurry home; I think there's more."

Kid didn't try to argue with her. They made it home in time for Kid to contact his father about what happened.

"Another Gitsune in the city," he reported.

"They just keep coming back," Lord Death sighed. "I wish we could do more than waiting. It's like they're planning something greater."

"Yeah," Kid agreed. He glanced down the hallway at Ame, who was getting a few things out of a cabinet. "It's starting to take its toll on Ame. She's starting to get all depressed and serious. But I thought the Gitsune orb would help us find them."

"…What Gitsune orb?" Lord Death asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Um… didn't Sayo give you a small marble containing Gitsune magic?"

"No, I've never heard of anything like that. Why?"

"Ame… gave it to her, telling her to bring it to you," Kid said, narrowing his eyes slightly. Lord Death thought about it.

"Hmm, she probably just forgot. Maybe you should ask her tomorrow at school. Your new class is tomorrow, and I want you to be sharp. So get some rest, Kiddo, okay?"

"I'll try," Kid nodded.

"Hey."

Kid looked up.

"You don't have to worry about it," Lord Death said happily. "Just relax and it'll all be alright. No good ever comes from worrying about something."

"Yeah, thanks," Kid smiled one last time. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He hung up and went to his room. He took off his shoes and was about to close the door when a voice stopped him.

"Kid?"

Kid sighed and turned around. Ame was in the doorway.

"Can I stay with you for a while?"

Kid's shoulders sagged. The way she fiddled with her hands and made her eyes all big was too cute. He nodded her in and shrugged his jacket off. Ame rushed past him and sat down on the bed. Kid soon joined her.

"You can lay down if you want," he offered. "I won't be mad if you fell asleep."

Ame sighed, leaning back and rolling on her side to look at him. She gazed at him for a while, blinking often, until she finally dozed off. Kid sighed—he'd been doing that a lot lately—and stroked her hair softly. If only he could make her happy.


	59. Chapter 59

Ame sighed, looking out her window unhappily. Kid wanted her to stay home today, at least until Kid got back from school. It didn't help that he was staying late to help Sayo with her lessons. She was a real female dog about it all. Ame needed to talk to somebody; she felt so… alone.

She went outside and stood underneath her tree. Grey storm clouds roared overhead. Slight rain, but no thunder or lightning. Strange. She twitched when she heard a soft growl next to the tree. She knelt down and reached a hand out.

"Come on," she whispered. "I won't hurt, you… little kitty."

Kid was in a panic when he got home and didn't find Ame there. Had she been kidnapped again? The Gitsune still needed her ink; anything could have happened to her. He and his friends went on an immediate search for her, just to make sure she wasn't in the area.

It looked like it was going to rain, but Kid was in too much of a rush to find his umbrella. He scoured the west side of town with Liz and Patti. He was about to turn around when he saw her standing there. He should have known she would come her.

"Ame!" he shouted, running towards her and taking her shoulders in his hands. "What the hell were you thinking going out alone without telling anybody?! They could have taken you again, Ame! Do you hear me?!"

He stopped shaking her to see if he'd get a response. Ame was quietly looking down. Kid followed her gaze and looked at her stomach. There was an odd, lumpy bulge underneath her shirt, as if she was hiding something.

"Wh… what's under there?" he asked softly. Ame was quiet for a moment before answering.

"… A baby."

"WHAT?!" Kid released her in shock. "That's impossible. You're hiding something, so let me see."

He grabbed her wrists and tried to lift her hands so he could see, but she struggled relentlessly. She was weaker than him, however, and he soon got his way when a tiny, red-stripped, white kitten tumbled out from beneath her blouse. Ame gasped and gathered the cat up in her arms.

"It's Ame's baby," she said, clinging to the kitten protectively. "And I'm going to keep him."

"Ame, you know I won't allow that. Take him back."

"But I want to keep him!" Ame clutched the kitten to her chest and looked down. Kid sighed; she seemed really upset about this. He tilted her face up and folded her ears back underneath his hands.

"Listen, Mei-mei, you know we can't have a pet right now. You can put him on hold at the shelter and we'll pick him up after things settle down a bit."

"It'll be too late then," Ame whispered, ducking her head again and pulling away. Kid reached out feebly to her; he hated seeing her like this. She fell into him, burying herself in his arms. He looked up at the stormy sky and pulled her over to a large stone near the edge of the cliff. He sat down with her and stroked her hair.

"Ame, what's going on?" he asked. "Are you too lonely at the house all by yourself? I know I've been busy, but it'll get better, I promise. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"I don't want anything to happen to you, either," Ame whispered. Kid held her close for a moment.

"Please don't cry."

"I'm not crying," Ame sighed contently.

So, they ended up taking the kitty home with them. He was strictly Ame's responsibility, but Kid didn't mind helping out a bit too. Ame took the kitten upstairs to the bathroom to get him cleaned up a bit, whilst Kid began making some food for him. After putting some hamburger and vegetables in a pan to cook, he decided to check on the two upstairs. Ame had the kitten in the bathtub.

"How's he doing?" Kid asked, kneeling beside Ame. Now that he got a good look at the cat, he saw the red on his coat was actually stripes.

"He's just fine," Ame chirped happily. She was in a good mood since he said she could keep him. She was happier than she had been all week.

"That's a relief," Kid sighed. "I was worried he had blood on his coat. So what are you going to call him?"

"Mudikappa," Ame replied.

"You Inochigami are too creative," Kid rolled his eyes playfully. "Why don't we call it Bob?"

"What kind of name is that for a cat?!" Ame demanded. "At best, that's a name only unicorns should have."

"Alright, then, he's a unicorn," Kid said. "We'll have Stein surgically implant a horn tomorrow."

"No!" Ame shouted. Kid laughed and little Mudikappa squeaked and thrashed, splashing water at them.

Later, Ame put the food in front of Mudikappa and pet him gently. The kitten was all too grateful to be fed, let alone be in the presence of a goddess.

"Hey, you," Kid complained, kneeling next to the two of them. "I _made_ that food for you, you know." Mudikappa wasn't listening. Kid sighed. "I can already tell you're going to spoil him rotten."

"I've never heard you talk like that," Ame said. "You're not jealous, are you Kid?"

"What? No!"

"Fine, if you want me to treat you two equally," Ame smirked and reached out, petting his head and scratching behind his ear. Kid jerked away, although he liked it.

"Cut it out," he mumbled quietly as his nose, of course, began to bleed.

Soul Eater

"You're holding out on me!"

Lord Death was surprised to hear this from Ikiru. The goddess, who had come to visit him, wasn't usually so picky. On the contrary; he thought she liked black tea.

"What do you mean?" he asked obliviously. "I thought you liked the tea I made for you."

"Like hell," Ikiru spat. "What about all that sake you have stashed under the school?"

Ame's ears perked with excitement.

"Not the alcohol," Lord Death said firmly. "I wouldn't want Ame to feel left out."

"Who says she would be?" Ikiru asked. Lord Death stiffened.

"And you say I have terrible parenting skills!" he snapped. "Ame is a minor; she shouldn't be drinking at this age!"

"As an Inochigami, she'll remain a child no matter how old she gets," Ikiru said. "As a god, she doesn't overdo it; as a wolf god, let's just say we like our sake."

"That's horrible," Lord Death growled, glaring at Ikiru. She sniffed and turned lazily to Ame, who was playing with Mudikappa at the table.

"Go scout it out, Donkeyskin," she ordered. Ame nodded eagerly and crawled to her feet, running out the door with Mudikappa following her. Ikiru smirked before noticing Lord Death's glare. "What?"

Ame knew it was somewhere under the school, so she immediately made her way down into the dark and creepy dungeons. The entire building was made with exquisite symmetry, so there was a possibility of two or even four stashes of sake, on at each corner. Hence, it was safe to say that she could go in any direction she wanted to. She followed the signs that said 'restricted' and followed her nose from there.

"Hey," a voice snapped. Ame froze. Oh no. Death Scythe alert! "What are you doing here? This is a restricted area. Ame?"

"He-hey, Sebastian!" she turned around and gave a wave, trying to play cool. "What are you doing down here in the restricted section?"

"My job," Spirit replied. "What about you? I doubt you're supposed to be here."

"Mom sent me to get some sak-ke," Ame replied. "You see, I was a shrine maiden for New Year's one year, but I also handled most of the sake undercover, so she wants me to show off my wicked brewing skills to Lord Death."

"Sake?" Spirit thought. "There's sake here? I just thought it was old cells and store rooms."

"I'm sure Kid would know if you found him," Spirit said. "Lately, his father's been showing him everything."

"No, don't tell Kid!" Ame shouted, but her face remained cheerful. "So I need to be going now!"

Ame slipped away before he could protest. A few locks were busted, but she soon found herself in the perfect room.

"Jackpot," she smirked. She picked and pried at the barrels of sake until she found a good mix. She turned around, two large flasks in hand, but almost dropped her findings.

"Ame? Are you in here?" Ikiru asked, stepping into the doorway. She'd become a little concerned with Ame taking so long and went to look for her. Ikiru paused in the doorway, her mouth agape as she looked at the giant red-striped tiger in the middle of the room.

They immediately brought the big cat to the Death Room.

"Oh, my… is that Mudikappa?!" Kid demanded. The tiger turned around and let out a small growl. "How the… a tiger? Really, Ame?!"

"Well, I just kind of brought him here and he enjoyed all the food in the storage and I guess he's kind of a god, so—"

"Idiot," Kid snapped, flicking her forehead. "How could you not know he was the flesh embodiment of a god?"

"That would explain the red stripes," Ikiru said. "I'd have never thought that a god could create a mortal body for himself to dwell in the human realm."

Ame moved closer to Mudikappa, stroking his soft fur. Her green eye told it all.

"He is Gekigami, the tiger god of thunder and lightning," she said. "That's why the storm clouds have been gathering here with no thunder. He came to me like this so he could give me the power to take over the skies."

"Then do it," Kid encouraged. "What are you waiting for?"

Ame nodded eagerly. She ran outside and drew a sharp-cornered squiggly in the air. Thunder and lightning sounded all around them. Another power down in the count. Only two more gods to go.

Bonus

Later that night, Kid was checking the house once more for symmetry before bed. He decided it best to check on Ame… just to make sure she was sleeping okay. When he opened the door, he saw the giant tiger in bed next to her. Uh-huh, nice try. It was plausible when he was little, but not anymore.

"Outside," Kid commanded, pointing out the door.

Bonus 2 Cause It's Funny!

The next day, Ame walked to school with Kid to make sure he didn't forget his lunch again. Once in the school yard, she saw a familiar boy that she didn't always agree with. Ox Ford.

"Hey, Ox!" she shouted. "Would you like a bolt from a god?!"

She drew a small lightning bolt to him and he was promptly struck by lightning. Kid sweat-dropped.

"Ame, that's mean," he said.


	60. Chapter 60

"We're going on another mission?" Liz asked as Kid put his jacket on. "What about Ame?"

"With her new power, she should be fine here on her own," Kid replied. "We have to find what the shadow thing at the clock was talking about. We need to find out as soon as possible."

He turned the corner and peeked into Ame's room. "Ame, we're leaving now."

"Wait for me!" Ame shouted, jumping off the bed and tripping over her footboard. She rose to her feet and scrambled over to him. "I'm going too!"

"Ame," Kid argued as she shuffled through his closet for clothes. "You're still sick. You should stay home today and rest."

Ame froze, giving him her best puppy eyes yet.

"Don't look at me like that!"

"Aw, just let her go, Kid," Liz argued on her behalf. "We need her anyways."

"Elizabeth, what's gotten into you?!" Kid demanded harshly. Ame laughed and stood next to him, dressed in some casual clothes.

"Yeah, yeah!" she agreed, the odd bed-headed flip at the top of her hair wagging vigorously like her tail. "I know stuff that you don't know so I have to offer my help! Mew~!"

Kid snapped. He turned to her with an ominous glare. "I dare you to say that again."

"My help! MEW~!"

He put his foot at her back to give himself leverage and pulled her ears hard. "Don't use that annoying voice! I'm not letting you go!"

"It hurts! It hurts!" Ame sang, squirming to get away from him. "I can go! You don't have to worry about me!"

Ink-Stealing Gitsune Encounter! Will Amaterasu's Power Fail?

Kid left without her in the end. He began walking down the street with Liz and Patti, taking in everything he could so they wouldn't get attacked. Something shiny, however, distracted him. He looked down at the old lost key in frustration for a moment, and then he totally snapped, clawing at his hair and screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Darn it, Ame! Why aren't you hear to accumulate random crap?!"

He ended up going back for Ame, proving Liz's point that he did indeed have a hard time saying no to Ame.

"Kid! I have terrible news!" Ame cried, zipping down the hallway towards him. She put her jacket on and held out her arm. Her coat sleeve stretched way past her fingertips. "I shrank."

"No way!" Kid gasped.

All jokes aside, folks, Kid and the other seven had a serious mission to attend to. They had to find Kai, Yatsu, Kiba, and the other four Gitsune before they could revive their master. Ame had memorized the Gitsune's scent in her time imprisoned, so she tracked them down in wolf form.

They were lead to a small abandoned cottage in the woods. Ame ran in a small circle around the house and began pawing at the ground beneath the crawl space.

"I think Ame's found something," Maka said.

"What is it, girl?" Kid asked, approaching the spot Ame seemed so fixed on. He inhaled once. "There's sake stored here?"

Ame growled and drew a circle with a line coming out of it on top of the basement door. Kid drew back as the explosion blew the door to the secret passage open. She dived down and began sniffing about again. Kid followed her, moving swiftly and silently like a shadow down the dark passage. All the sake was gone. Ame seemed displeased and turned to leave.

"Don't tell me that was all you wanted," Kid complained. Ame barked once and pawed at something in the opposite corner. What was that… a corpse? Kid drew nearer. He saw now that it was a woman. It looked like she'd been down there for quite some time. Hadn't he seen that odd red coat before? Ame whimpered, looking at the body uncertainly. "What is it, girl? Afraid of a little death?"

Kid didn't find the soul.

"She was probably attacked and dumped here after her soul was taken," he concluded. "I'll tell father to post another mission on the board."

Ame growled and head-bashed him as if to say, 'Get smart!'

"Hey!" Kid snapped. "You cut that out, miss alcoholic!"

Ame growled again, nudging the corpse with her nose and licking her lips. Kid tensed. No, it couldn't be. Was that corpse…? Sayo? He suddenly had a bad feeling….

"I see you made it," a voice growled behind them. Kid turned around to see Kai in all her glory. "The sake was quite good. Now my brothers and I have enough power to do what master sent us out to do in the first place."

She did a flip in the air, transforming into a large fox demon. She snarled at them as six other foxes entered the small room as well. Kid and Ame shot outs of the small room and back above ground with the others.

"It's okay," Soul said. "There's seven of them. We outnumber them."

"Let's go!" Blackstar barked, running towards two Gitsune with his Enchanted Sword.

Ame smirked. Foxes were so weak compared to wolves. She ran at Kai and Yatsu, planning to finish them off with a single slice with her ink, but when she drew the line in the air, it began to wash away. She gasped in horror as her opponents let out a deafening howl and all the ink was sucked out of her body by the seven Gitsune. She crumpled to her elbows, whimpering.

Kid saw what was happening and jumped in front of her. "Ame, get up. Don't grovel in front of them like that; where's your pride?"

Ame shook her head to clear it and the divine instrument on her back vanished. The others gasped. This was not good. How could she fight without her ink or divine instrument?

Ame growled and lunged at the Gitsune, bashing it with her head. The others sweat-dropped. Of course. Ame threw one of the foxes in the air by its neck and did an air-kick. She was actually quite talented; it was like wolf kung fu.

The Gitsune shook its head and barked at its other companions. They all dissolved in shadows, leaving the other eight alone. Ame yawned and laid down, bands of white light encircling her as her ink was replenished and her divine instrument returned.

"No time to sleep, Ame," Blackstar interrupted her.

"They have your ink; the final thing they need," Maka agreed. "We'll go after the Gitsune; you and Kid need to get home asap."

Cue Giving Kushinada a Ride again

Ame and Kid ran home as fast as they could. They had to tell Lord Death and Sayo as fast as they could. They burst into the Death Room to reveal Lord Death standing in front of the mirror. Kid approached the platform wearily.

"Father," he said. "We found something on our mission. The others are going after the other Gitsune, but I needed to tell you this right now in person."

"What is it, Kid?" Lord Death asked urgently.

"I think we know who the Kitsune is."

As the two continued to speak, Ame stared at Sayo with utmost scrutiny. She narrowed her eyes and lowered herself into a crouch. Kid noticed this and sighed.

"Down, Ame."

"Something's not right," Liz said.

"What's the matter, Amaterasu?" Sayo asked. "Don't tell me you accuse me of being the ninth tail."

"Ninth tail?" Kid's eyes widened in shock.

_Spiders have eight legs, but foxes have nine tails..._

"How could you have any way of knowing about that?" Kid asked cautiously, taking a few steps to the side, as if circling her. "That thing at the Zodiac clock said something about that, but the only person I told was my father, who promised to keep it between us."

"The Kitsune didn't want Ame's eyes specifically," Sayo growled in a matter-of-fact tone. "She only wanted two."

"She?" Kid asked. Sayo looked up, the wisps of hair over her eyes pulling back to reveal, in her right eye socket, the godly pearl Ame gave to her to give to Lord Death. Ame lunged at her, to which she dodged. Ame growled menacingly at Sayo, who laughed.

"Did you honestly think it would be that easy?" she asked as dark shadows began surrounding her. "Oh please. Don't you ignorant humans pay any attention? Of course I'm the Kitsune, but I am much more than you think I am. I am the reincarnation of the Demon Lord. Just like the previous incarnations before me, I seek destruction and evil in this world, but I am so much stronger because I have Amaterasu's brush powers. I would have liked it if she got along with me better; teaching me in my ways would have made it so much easier on you now."

Her body bent and twisted as she transformed into a large vixen; a Kitsune with nine tail-like shadows behind her.

"You don't scare me!" Ame snarled.

"Ame," Lord Death tried to warn her.

"Ignorant fool! Here is but a taste of what the Demon Lord can do!"

Her tails struck out at the three of them drawing a single, deadly line across them. Ame panicked, and leapt instinctually in front of Kid and Lord Death. Kid crashed against one of the guillotine gates, whilst Ame fell into a pile of rubble on her stomach. The blow made her growl in pain. Sayo—no, the Kitsune—laughed darkly.

"Petty deity. You were merely saved by the size of this room. Had we been in greater fields of battle, I would have been able to show you the full extent of my power and fury."

"No…" Kid whispered, his vision blurring as he came to just in time to see the fox demon break through the ceiling of the Death Room and flee. Once he saw that Lord Death remained unscathed, Kid, somewhat recovered, got to his feet and darted towards Ame.

"Is she okay?" Liz demanded, not daring to shift to human form lest that thing come back.

"She's fine," Kid said, putting a hand on Ame's shoulder. The wolf whimpered, weakened to such a state that she couldn't transform. He frowned apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Ame. I'm so sorry."


	61. Chapter 61

"I swear, I'm fine," Kid insisted for the fourth time.

Stein finally let him go and Kid made his way from the Death Room to the infirmary. Ame was still in her wolf form, laying on one of the beds. She was struggling against Naigus, who shot Kid a pleading look. He stepped forward and took Ame's face in his hands gently, trying to hold her still.

"Ame, stop this," he said. "We've had a hard loss. We're just trying to help you, so please just stop."

Ame's eyes softened to the point that they looked like they were melting. She stopped twitching and lied down on the bed. Kid wanted to stay next to her, but he had things to do.

Secrets Revealed; Life, Death, and the Demon Lord?

Ame fell asleep, and she wouldn't wake up for a long time. The others were beginning to get worried. Kid couldn't check on her for at least an hour, to which he would have kicked himself had he not been so busy contacting the others and such. When he could go check on her again, he was surprised at who he saw by Ame's bedside. Ikiru and Mudikappa were there, but who was this old woman?

Ame's wounds were wrapped in fresh bandages. She was still unconscious, but an old woman was holding her upright and pouring a liquid medicine down her throat. The woman set Ame down gently and turned to Lord Death and Kid. Her golden eyes opened and she glared furiously at them.

"What kind of god are you?!" she demanded, pointing furiously at Kid. Kid took a hesitant step back. He felt like a child with her yelling at him like this. "How dare you doubt Ame when she clearly recognized danger before you did! I am absolutely disgusted! You don't deserve a title such as the eighth incarnation of death. A filthy, asymmetrical brat doesn't deserve such symmetry!"

"You're right," Kid mumbled. "I'm garbage."

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm very sorry, ma'am."

"And you!" she turned on her heel to point at Lord Death. "Saying such a thing to poor Ame. You should be ashamed of yourself, young man!"

Kid looked up. This woman was clearly confused. His father was centuries old; calling him 'young' was a bit laughable.

"Young man?" Lord Death seemed surprised as well. "Do you know how old I am?"

"Alright, Granny," Ikiru said, standing behind the woman and hugging her from behind slightly to calm her. "Now isn't the time to lecture them."

Kid paused. Wait… Granny seemed surprisingly like… Ame, and Ikiru….

"It can't be," he mumbled.

"It is," Lord Death said with dread. "I remember you now. You're the first incarnation of Life herself."

"You don't sound very happy about it," Kid noted.

"I'm not. She's sarcastic and violent."

"So she's just like Ame," Kid nodded.

"Violent, am I?!" Granny demanded, bodyslamming herself into both of them. They crumpled to the ground, and she seemed pretty pleased about that.

"Granny," Ikiru said, pulling her away. "At least act like an old woman. Geez."

"What did I tell you?" Lord Death asked Kid.

"What was that?!"

"Granny!" Ikiru demanded her attention. "You, sit out in the hallway! Kid, sit with her! Death, apologize to Ame! I'm gonna leave you two alone!"

Boss Ikiru was in, and no one dared argue with her. Lord Death stepped towards Ame's bedside. Ame stirred and sat up. She turned around and glared at him over her shoulder. It wasn't an angry glare like Granny's; it was more… sad.

"Hey, Donkeyskin Girl… how are you feeling?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not."

"Good, cause I'm mad at you."

"… I'm sorry, Ame," Lord Death apologized. "I'm sorry for saying that to you. You were able to sense danger, but none of us were willing to listen. It's my fault that you gave her that pearl. It's my fault that Sayo even infiltrated the school."

"You couldn't help it," Ame mumbled, fluffing her tail. "I mean, humans are stupid, and since the embodiment of Death is a human-based god, then I guess you can't help ignorant moments here and there."

"Yeah…"

"What? You're not going to argue with me like Kid?" Ame turned around and tilted her head. Lord Death laughed slightly.

"No. Of course not."

Soul Eater

"So, when are we going?" Ame asked once everyone had regrouped in the room.

"…"

Ame looked around the room, confused. Kid did the same. Why was everyone so quiet?

"We can't just stay here," Kid said. "That monster is out there somewhere. We have to start somewhere."

"Forget it, young lady," Ikiru said, putting a hand on Ame's head. Ame pulled away.

"What? Why not?"

"Ame, it's too dangerous," Ikiru insisted.

"How?" Ame demanded. "We're stronger now. We've even faced the Spider Queen."

"And you died," Ikiru shot back. "Ame, you don't have all your powers. You're not going."

"That's not fair," Ame said. "I'll be fine, really, Mom, you don't have to worry. I just wasn't ready this time is all…."

"Amaterasu…" Ikiru sighed, sitting next to the bed and taking her daughter's hand gently. Ame slowed down slightly. Why so serious? "Your grandmother died fighting the last Demon Lord."

Ame whimpered slightly, recoiling in fear. Kid was on his feet on the other side of her in an instant, putting a hand on her shoulder to steady her. He shot a glare at his father.

"You never mentioned that," he hissed. "We could have stopped Sayo earlier if you had just told me!"

"We hoped that we'd never have to tell you," Lord Death admitted. "The last Demon Lord had a hard defeat, so we hoped he wouldn't return. However, we seem to be… wrong."

"Sometimes I feel like Fate is set to laugh at me," Ikiru whispered. The others stopped to look at her. "My mother died when I was still young, and then my first daughter died… and now this. I can't stand it."

She pulled Ame in a close embrace and buried her face in her shoulder, as if to shield Ame from the world. Ame didn't react. They could tell it was her usual madness setting in to block out the pain and shock and fear. Kid saw something in Ame change… as if the spark within her went out.

"Mom…" she said. "I'm not a little kid anymore, really. You don't have to do that. I know it's alright. You told me over and over again. I know it's alright… cause it is… right, Mom? Right?"

There was silence in the room.

Later that night, Ame was hugging her panda and staring out the window when she heard the door open. She didn't even turn.

"Visiting hours are over," she said in her quiet, mysterious voice. "And I don't want to see anyone anyway."

"It's me, Kim."

Ame looked at Kim, holding her stuffed animal a bit tighter.

"Remember me?" Kim asked, inching closer to the bed. Her face relaxed into a smile. "Come on, don't give me that look. So what, we've lost that fox wench. We lost Asura too, and look what happened to him."

"Owned by a nerd with pigtails," Ame agreed, laughing with Kim.

"Here," Kim handed her a small brown bag that smelled over cherries. Ame looked inside. If it wasn't her old favorite cherry cakes. "Kid didn't give us any updates on anything else you liked, so everyone in class pitched in to buy some for you. I don't know why I have to be the one to give them to you. I'm not a delivery girl. I should have charged for this."

"Thanks," Ame smiled.

"Thanks for everything," Kim replied. "We just wanted to let you know that we still hope you can kick that Kitsune's ass."

Something in Ame reignited then. The next day, Ame was out of bed again and brushing through her tail before going back home to conspire against the fox wench that had caused her so much trouble. Kid wasn't happy and apparently didn't catch on to her new attitude.

"Ame, you should—"

"Shut up, Kid. Fate can suck it." She turned around and pouted determinedly. "I'm going to fight this thing, even if it kills me, because all these people deserve better."

**Sorry that it took a while. I am now officially done uploading all the pre-typed chapters I had, so now I'm typing all from scratch and now accepting ideas. I will try, try, TRY to get the rest up in time for my new years/Christmas special. Thanks for reading! And I will acknowledge everyone later when I have time! I'm sorry!**


	62. Chapter 62

Ame and Kid didn't have a lead, and they weren't going to get one soon, so they decided it was best to stop and think before they did anything rash and childish. They were growing up considerably well considering their previous reactions.

They were patrolling around the outskirts of Death City, where there had been sightings of suspicious figures. Ame was learning how to fight without ink or weapons; it was mostly hand to hand combat with Blackstar or, if he was feeling up to her abuse, Kid. She was learning well since she already knew most of the moves by mimicking and instinct. She was ready to face whatever enemy was waiting for them. However, they were surprised at what they found.

"Hold up," Ame cautioned. Kid stopped; as long as it wasn't another penny. Ame was looking over a picket fence at a flock of sheep, who were stirring unhappily, as if startled. There was a little lamb limping badly on the ground.

"Be careful, Ame," Kid warned as she jumped the fence. His eyes were fixed on a sheepdog guarding the flock. "That dog has his eye on you."

"Oh, please," Ame scoffed, looking at the dog in a friendly way. "It's okay. He wouldn't hurt me, now would he?"

Just as she said that, she reached delicately towards the lamb and the dog snapped. It lunged at her, bolting across the pen and pinning her to the ground. Kid leapt into action immediately, rushing into the paddock and grabbing a stick to shove horizontally in the dog's mouth to bait it away before scooping Ame into his arms and carrying her away from the scene. The dog strained against the fence aggressively, barking menacingly to make sure they stayed out.

Kid was sure they were out of sight in the trees when he set Ame down. She was trembling a little, and she had a large gash on her leg.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Kid," Ame pushed him back slightly.

"I wonder what was wrong with that dog," Liz muttered.

"Maybe he was hungry for god-flavored wolf meat," Patti suggested with a laugh.

Ame's ears perked slightly when she heard a stiff note. It was a whistle of some kind of animal. She got to her feet, transforming so she could limp a little on her hind leg. Kid got to his feet as well, aiming his weapons at the brush.

"Who's there?" he asked. "Come out now."

"Okay, calm down," a voice said. They could tell it was a male speaking. Slowly, a human inched out of the brush and into the small clearing. His hair was long and white; he wore a red traditional kimono, and two fluffy dog ears were atop his head. Ame's head lifted out of its aggressive position immediately. "I'm on your side. You don't have to kill me."

"It can't be…."

"Inugami?" Ame questioned, tilting her head. She inched closer to him. "Is it… is it really you?"

"You bet, sister," Inugami smirked and nodded. Ame attacked him, giving him a friendly nudge and wagging her tail happily. "Heh… I'm glad to see you too, Amaterasu. It's been a while since I've heard that name. You look just like her."

Ame beamed, her white coat gleaming as she let him stand. She transformed into her human form to bow politely.

"You look even better in human form," Inugami complimented. Ame grinned at him.

"I've never seen a brush god in human form," Ame noted. "Don't tell me you've been naughty, Inugami."

"Who—what?!" Inugami sweatdropped. "I—uh—of course not! Why would you think that?"

"I was kidding," Ame laughed at him. "And I'm not that surprised. Mudikappa was just incarnated in an immortal tiger's body recently. My mother thinks my power is just sporadic and encouraging; I am the first goddess to embrace Madness in such a way."

"I see, I guess I understand," Inugami nodded. "May I ask, is this your companion?"

"Yeah," Ame nudged—or more like kicked—Kid forward to say hello. "This is Death the Kid."

"Death the Kid?" Inugami questioned, shaking Kid's hand politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Same to you," Kid replied. "And you can just call me Kid."

"Alright," Inugami said.

"What about us?" Liz demanded, transforming to get an eyeful of the newcomer. Inugami glanced at them politely.

"Right," Kid nodded. "These are my weapon partners Liz and Patti."

"Enchante," Inugami bowed, unwilling to shake their hands since they didn't offer. Kid liked him so far; he was decent and polite. For a dog, that was pleasantly surprising.

"Have you seen a Kitsune around?" Ame asked, sniffing Inugami's ribcage.

"Yeah, but they got away," Inugami sighed. "They just keep coming. I've been trying to follow them to their source, but I lost their trail."

"That's a good idea," Kid said. "We never thought about that; we've been a bit unorganized recently. We're just keeping the city safe."

"So I see," Inugami nodded. "I could help you. I'm another immortal and I'm loyal to you, Amaterasu."

"Hm," Ame eyed him. At first, Kid felt a twinge of doubt and readied himself for battle, but Ame just smirked and wagged her tail. "Do you like take-out?"

That was code for 'Do you want to come home with us?' Kid facepalmed. He really didn't have another choice, but that's why it annoyed him so much.

"Sure," Inugami nodded.

"And Inugami is such a long name… do you mind if I call you Ichigo?" Ame pressed. Inugami nodded again.

"I feel blessed to have a name," he said.

Soul Eater

"Looks like another student was jumped," Ikiru reported to Lord Death in the Death Room. She'd stayed there after Ninetails' revival.

"Those Gitsune are just a petty thorn in our side," Lord Death grumbled.

"A distraction," Ikiru nodded. "There's something greater out there gaining strength whilst we sit here and lick our wounds."

"What do you suppose we do about it?" Lord Death proposed.

"Death, we can't do anything about it now," Ikiru said. "Your students are too weak."

"Excuse me?" Lord Death demanded. "You have no idea what they've been through. When Asura was revived—"

"Asura was a joke," Ikiru interrupted. Lord Death fell silent. Ninetails did have more potential than Asura did in his weak state. "If your students can't shape up, then we have no choice than to succumb to this Madness!"

"Don't you dare say that!" Lord Death shot back. "We will not give up for some fox wench. Just have a little faith in us for now, okay?"

"How could I?" Ikiru said. "It kills me every time I see a child die like this. What are you even doing? Without Sayo to teach about spirits, we have no idea what we're doing. We're sitting ducks!"

"Ikiru…" Lord Death slowed down. "Please. I know this is hard on all of us. We've lost a couple battles, but no student of my school will lose a war. We will get through this. We just need to stick next to each other through the good and the bad. You know what I mean?"

Ikiru sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I should be getting back to Gallows. Kid and Ame should be back soon."

It felt like the house was finally starting to fill out with Liz, Patti, Ame, Mudikappa, AND Ichigo there. Kid didn't even remember the days that he lived in the big, empty mansion all by himself. Now he was almost overwhelmed by family all the time. Ame was right, though; it was nice having a home like this.

"Dinner is served at exactly eight o'clock," Kid was busy lecturing Ichigo about the rules and regulations of the house. They were all gathering in the dining area to eat the takeout Kid brought home for them. "And breakfast is at seven. I don't house freeloaders; we all need to pitch in and pull our own weight."

"But Kid," Patti chirped. "You let us slack off all the time!"

"Mm, take-out," Nagi interrupted, stepping in front of Kid and taking the box from his hands. Kid struggled to get it back.

"Hey, who invited you?" Kid demanded.

"Sis needed us," Rin replied, fishing through the kitchen drawers for chopsticks.

"I'm here too," Ikiru added, setting the table flawlessly. Looks like they were all helping, but why were they in his house? "Your father asked us to stay, and he said we could stay here."

"Why are you psychic too?" Kid mumbled. They all sat down and began eating. It was a tight fit with all of them there.

"So how are you, Kid?" Ikiru decided to make polite conversation.

"Well, Ninetails is still running loose and those Gitsune keep showing up," Kid sighed. "Ichigo has been trying to track them to their source. Do you think that would be safe with a great number of students from the academy?"

Ikiru was silent.

"So, Ichigo," Ame changed the subject. "I'm sure you're surprised at our living conditions, huh?"

"A little," he admitted. "Ikiru, it's nice to see you again."

"Same to you, Inugami," Ikiru nodded. "I didn't expect to see you here. This means Ame has almost all her power now. I said she couldn't pursue Ninetails until she found all the gods."

"She'll be fine," Ichigo said. "She's a brave girl, and the Demon Lord is nothing but a childish coward pretending to be god."

"You mean I can go?" Ame perked up immediately.

"Only if Kid, Liz, Patti come too. And Nagi, and Rin, and Ichigo, Mudikappa, Soul, Maka, Blackstar, Tsubaki, Ox, Harvar, Kilik, Fire, Thunder, Kim, Jackie, Stein, Spirit, Sid, Naigus—"

"I get it," Ame sighed, a bit put off, but still thankful that her mother loved her so much.

"I mean it, Ame," Ikiru said.

"Yeah, but I don't think we'll all fit down a fox hole," Ame argued jokingly.

"Then lose a few pounds!"

Kid chuckled half-heartedly. It was amazing they could still joke around like that. Things were about to get much worse from now on; he just hoped they could keep the spirits up.

**I hate this new Word 2013. I just want to take it by the neck and shake it till it stops moving. Anyway, I'll try to have the next couple chapters up soon. I have a few more idead, but I'm totally open now. Just review and read on!**


	63. Chapter 63

The next morning, Kid picked at his breakfast with little interest.

"Kid, you need to eat," Ame said, standing behind him and wrapping her arms around him. Kid shrugged her off and grabbed his jacket.

"We need to go to school," he said. "Come on, Liz, Patti."

"I'll go with you," Ame said. "Ichigo will patrol the city today. I'm helping Naigus in the nurse's office today. With all the attacks lately, she's got her hands full."

A Wolf's Many Talents; Is It Convenient or Bothersome?

The infirmary was full of injured students. Ame and Ichigo had debated slightly about who did what, but after a brief discussion, they decided the goddess of Life was better at healing things. Ame was busy changing some bandages on a student's arms. Tsugumi was the student's name; she was a NOT student who was jumped a couple days ago.

"Hold still," Ame warned. She gently pressed a warm, wet cloth to the gash on Tsugumi's arm. Tsugumi winced slightly.

"Thank you, Amaterasu," she said quietly. Ame stiffened.

"I guess I'd better get used to that name," she said. "I wonder who's been calling me that behind my back anyway."

"Lord Death does all the time," Tsugumi replied. "He says your name is something important and should always be remembered."

"Well, you can call me Ame," she smiled back. "Amaterasu is such an old name."

"Okay, Ame," Tsugumi smiled back. "You're so nice to everybody. I don't know how you can stand hearing about all the attacks recently. You're so much more civilized than Kid."

"Kid is immature, thus his name!" Ame chirped happily, wrapping the bandage a bit too tight on Tsugumi's wrist. "There, you should be good to go home now. Just tell me if the wound starts to fester or anything."

"I will," Tsugumi nodded, getting to her feet. "Thank you."

"Ame," Naigus said. "It's getting late. The rush is over. I'm sure you can go home with Kid and the others now."

"Okay," Ame nodded, rising and collecting her things.

"Thanks for all your help today," Naigus called after her.

"No problem," Ame said. She found Kid waiting for her in the hallway outside class Crescent Moon. "Ready to go home?"

"Yes," Kid nodded. Ame's ears plushed.

"Are you okay?" she tilted her head.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired is all. What about you? How was your day?"

"Fine," Ame replied. "I wish I were taller, though. I had to ask Naigus for half of the medicines from the cabinet. So what are we doing today?"

"The others wanted to meet Ichigo at the park today," Kid explained. "I guess we'd better meet them there."

Once at the park, they met the others and introduced them politely.

"Ichigo," Ame stated. "These are my friends Soul, Maka, Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Crona. Several friends that I am not going to address by name because it wastes page space, this is Ichigo, or more commonly known as Inugami."

"Nice to meet you," Tsubaki said.

"I didn't think gods could have a human form like Ame," Maka said. "I guess it's something to add to our textbooks, right?"

"So you're one of Ame's gods," Soul said. "That's cool. How's the human realm working out for you?"

"There are too many gods around stealing my spotlight," Blackstar grumbled. He pointed anm accusing finger at Ichigo. "Two is my limit, so I'm gonna have to kill you!"

"Sure you are," Ame muttered, shoving Blackstar aside and Power-Slashing him into knock out. See? I benched him again!

"How long have you been around?" Maka asked. "It looks like Ame didn't have to find you."

"I've been around for a while," Ichigo replied. "I kind of found them after one of my dogs freaked out on Ame. I'm sorry about that, by the way."

"It must've been the Madness," Ame agreed.

"It's weird getting together like this after all that's been happening," Soul said. "I mean, we have Gitsune jumping people left and right, a Demon Lord running wild. We've been kind of sitting on our butts doing nothing this whole time."

"It's frustrating," Kid agreed. "But we're doing all we can. We need stronger forces, as well as a teacher to replace Sayo. All I can say is, whatever we're up against is much stronger than Asura was. We were barely able to scrape through with him around."

"That's pathetic," Ichigo muttered.

"Excuse me?" Kid nailed him with a death glare.

"Asura was a joke," Ichigo continued. "If it only took a punch to the face, then I think you can see the difference between him and Ninetails."

"She may be strong, but we just need more training," Soul said.

"In what?" Ichigo asked. "Combat? Ame warned me that you were stupid, so I suppose I have to educate you. Asura was born from a god; a Shinigami. When Arachne killed Amaterasu's older sister 800 years ago, Asura went mad and became a Kishin. Kishin are silly kill; enemies that we just feel like fighting to scrape cash together. A Demon Lord is another thing."

Kid wasn't very pleased with Ichigo's tone, nor the way he spoke to his friends. Who did he think he was?

"We could defeat the Demon Lord no problem," Blackstar said.

"A Demon Lord is a manifestation of pure evil. You think Kishin are bad. Heh. You haven't seen anything yet. If you struggle with those, then it's best that you just stay home and let the real gods handle it. I'm only saying this for your own good. A battle between Amaterasu and the Demon Lord is no place for you. Amaterasu's grandmother died fighting the last one."

"Ichigo," Ame snapped. He glanced at her. "Don't talk to them that way. You're lucky Asura was defeated by a mere punch."

"… I apologize."

Ichigo paused, staring intently at Ame's eyes as if he just noticed that they were two different colors. One golden, yes… all god's eyes were golden. Ichigo's were golden, and Kid's were, and even Ikiru's…. Why was Ame's left eye green? Of all colors, why green?

He suddenly had a bad feeling. His eyes narrowed and Ame flinched in fear. Her eyes widened, pupils narrowed to pinpricks, as her eyes lost recognition for those around her. It was as if she entered a different world, and that the people she was seeing weren't the people in front of her.

"Ame, are you alright?" Kid asked.

Soul Eater

She saw it. She saw something unusual. She saw Death. It was an old man bowing in front of a shrine dedicated to one of the gods. At Ninetails' command, several Gitsune jumped on him, dancing around him and taunting him.

_This is Divine Punishment._

There was a voice inside her head now too?! What did she mean 'divine punishment?' This was insane!

_If none are loyal to me, then all must die!_

"Ame, are you alright?"

Ame was staring straight down, her eyes glazed over. Suddenly, her back arched the wrong way, her entire body thrown backwards in an unusual position. Her face contorted in pain and she screamed, putting one hand up to clutch her left eye. She continued screaming, her eyes wide, yet seeing nothing.

"Amaterasu!" Ichigo rushed to her side immediately, taking either of her arms in his hands. "Amaterasu, what's going on? What's wrong with you?!"

"Leave him alone!" Ame begged, pulling away from them with tears in her eyes. "Leave him alone. Leave him alone! No, stop it!"

Kid knew what was happening. She was seeing a vision of death. It was unnatural for an Inochigami, and not even Ame's own mother knew about what she could see with her green eye. She hated what she saw, and would rather die than have that power. It was because Asura gouged out Ame's sister's left eye that Ame was cursed like this.

"Get away from her!" Kid warned the others. "She's freaking out. Just back off for a minute."

Ichigo didn't listen to him; he was too busy trying to help Ame. His intentions were good, but he didn't know what to do. He didn't remember the full extent of Ame's power. Ame fell silent, finally, and collapsed on the spot. Kid and Ichigo caught her before she hit the ground. Kid looked at the others.

"I apologize, but we need to go home now. Sorry that our little get together was interrupted like this."

How he could be so formal about this, no one else knew. Ichigo took Ame and carried her home. Kid and the twins followed quietly.

"Kid, do you know what happened to Ame?" Liz whispered.

"…" Kid didn't say anything. "I promised a long time ago that I wouldn't say anything about it. It was probably just another one of her Madness attacks."

"Ninetails has the Black Blood," Liz remembered. "Is she spreading Madness around now?"

"I guess so," Kid nodded. "With every brush power that Ame learned, Sun Rise, Crescent… Ninetails could be spreading Madness through the bloom of a flower. Ichigo's right. Asura was a joke compared to this. But he's wrong about us. We will not give in. We will fight, because if we don't… Ame will surely die."

**Another chapter up! So far, I'm doing well on my update a chapter a day schedule. I've been sick lately with some kind of stress-induced stomach spasms, and it's total hell taking pills because all medicine makes my sleep patterns go crazy. I laugh like a maniac too. I'm just glad I have a scheduled battle plan for my fanfiction otherwise we'd be chasing dinosaurs and biting nails…. Good times.**

** Anyway, tell me if you liked it in a review. Or maybe since I have a deadline and I always obey my deadlines you think I don't need reviews to be motivated enough to write. Well, I resent that. Just kidding, love you all! Thank you for reading!**

** Next up… Ame meets the Death Scythes and makes a couple more special friends on the way. Ideas are welcome!**


	64. Chapter 64

Ame was working in the nurse's office again the next day. She expected the next Kishin she killed to say "Nailed by the girl who works in the nurse's office!" This time she was greeted with the much more familiar faces of Kilik Rung and his weapon partners Fire and Thunder.

"It's been a while since I've seen you three," Ame sounded pleasantly surprised.

"Such a promising place to have a reunion," Kilik muttered as he sat down on one of the white beds. There were scratches on his arms and face, but the twins seemed to be unharmed. "Those damn Gitsune."

"It's frustrating because they're just playing with us," Ame said. "They could easily kill any student from this academy if they had the orders."

"I hate being a sitting duck for them!" Kilik snapped. Ame gave him a look and, sensing that he was losing his temper, he quieted down a bit. "I'm not talking about anyone from the academy, but what are they doing killing children like that?"

Ame was so shocked that she dropped the mortar and pestle she was grinding herbs in.

"This isn't divine retribution, this is mass murder," she whispered.

"Ame, you okay?"

Ame turned to him and smiled. "You're just like Blackstar, aren't you?"

"What?" Kilik sweatdropped. "Since when do I have a god complex?"

"No, no, not that!" Ame shook her hands around wildly. "I mean you both hate being useless, so you tend to do stupid stuff to feel like you're making a change in the terrible world that it is!"

"Yeah, I guess, but Blackstar is just looking for a fight. I want to fight when I see something I don't like. There's a difference."

"I guess," Ame shrugged. "But you still remind me of him so much."

Kilik was confused, but he didn't say anything. He just never thought that Ame and Blackstar were all that close.

A Big Star and a Little Wolf; Never Say Quit?

Ame remembered something from a long time ago. It was last September, right after Kid was blinded by Ninetails' first follower. Kid was devastated, trying his best to get along with what had happened, but everyone could tell he was struggling. Soul. And Maka. And, surprisingly enough, Blackstar.

The ninja would often spend his time fighting or training to fight, but not today. Tsubaki had gone with Soul and Maka to the library, so Blackstar had decided to go his own way for a few hours to clear his head. He didn't feel like fighting today. He found himself in the forest, sitting against a tree. Kid was probably his favorite person to fight because he was such a challenge. Then it was hilarious when Blackstar won. However, now that Kid was injured, Blackstar felt a bit bad about it.

He didn't know how long he was standing there when he heard something approaching him. He turned his head, expecting anything from enemy to friend to Tsubaki coming to pick him up, but was surprised to see a white wolf with red markings standing a few feet away from him. He shrugged and continued his staring off into nothing. The wolf came closer to him and nudged his elbow. Annoyed, Blackstar batted the wolf away.

"Back off," he said. "I don't have any food. What do you want?"

The wolf barked at him and nudged him again. Blackstar pushed her a bit more forcefully.

"I said go away!" he yelled. "Don't you know when to quit?"

Quit? Since when was that word in Blackstar's vocabulary? Ame wasn't very familiar with him yet, but she knew better than to let him sit around and sulk. She tackled him, which seemed to bring up that spark again.

"Feisty, aren't you?" Blackstar asked, getting to his feet. "Alright, fight me. Let's see how far you get."

The wolf lunged at him, but he dodged and counter attacked immediately. This wolf was trying her luck fighting such a skilled opponent. Of course, this was only play-fighting, and Blackstar would let her quit when she'd had enough. Ame jerked upright and batted at his head, twirling out of his reach for his next attack. She ran at him, leaping into the air and disappearing a few feet above him. She reappeared behind him, but he nailed her attack flawlessly.

"Sorry, I already know that trick," Blackstar said, remembering Kid's similar disappearing act. "Now, prepared yourself. Blackstar Big Wave!"

The soul energy pulsating in his palm surged into Ame and she could do nothing but whimper as she was thrown back and to the ground. That was nothing for Blackstar; he wasn't even out of breath yet.

"There, you're down," he said, turning. "Now run along and play with your monkey friends—!"

She tackled him, pinning him on the ground and wagging her tail as if to say, "That was awesome! Teach me how to do that!"

Blackstar stared up at the wolf in confusion. She sure was something else. Their games continued, and by the end of the day, Blackstar felt much better. He would have thanked the wolf, but she disappeared before he got the chance to. Who was that strange wolf?

"Blackstar!" he heard Tsubaki whisper furiously. "Class is over. You can wake up now."

Blackstar opened his eyes. Oh yeah. School. Ninetails. Why was he dreaming about Ame anyway?

"Honestly, you should pay more attention in class," Kid chided from one row down. "Do you want to get eaten by a Gitsune? Or maybe blinded by a wolf-dog. It's not pleasant, Blackstar."

"Yeah, yeah," Blackstar grumbled, getting to his feet. "Those cowardly Gitsune wouldn't dare come so near to a big star like me!"

"Is that so?" Kid sighed, knowing it couldn't be helped.

"Is Ame doing any better?" Tsubaki asked. "She scared us yesterday with her attack."

"She's fine now," Kid replied. "She told me she saw a vision of someone getting killed. It's not fair; she shouldn't have to see this kind of stuff. I wish there was something I could do. It just feels like she's going to quit sometime."

"Ame quit?" Blackstar laughed. "Like someone like Ame would quit after a little mass murder!"

"You sound awfully sure of her, Blackstar," Soul said. "I never thought you had so much confidence in Ame."

Blackstar smirked. Ame got them all out of a rut when they didn't even know they needed her. He wouldn't let Ame quit now.

Soul Eater

Kid, Ichigo, and Ame gathered in the Death Room to speak with Lord Death and the teachers about battle plans.

"I know where the Gitsune are hiding," Ichigo said. "I was finally able to track them, and you're not going to like what I overheard. Ninetails is going to rise the sun nine minutes early in three nights. If she does, Madness will spread everywhere that the sunlight touches."

"I've contacted all the Death Scythes, but only a few of them can come here," Lord Death explained. "The rest are keeping watch in other areas of the world, in case Ninetails pulls another dirty trick."

"We need more than that," Kid said. "Including whoever is going with us on the mission, some people need to stay here."

"I think I know who can help," Ame said, wagging her tail. "Finally, my shortness will come in handy."

"Who are you planning on inviting?" Kid asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Just trust me."

The Gitsune weren't gathering outside of Death City today. Ninetails demanded the blood of a witch, and they knew just who was weak enough to be an easy target. They sent only one of them out. He attacked at sun rise, thus defiling the hopeful time with horrid Madness and murder.

They took her from him. Mifune fought as valiantly as he could, but they had an unforeseen edge of hallucination. They took Angela away from him. Bruised, beaten, and discouraged, he could utter only one thing as he saw the Gitsune disappear into the brush.

"I've failed."

"Won't Master be surprised," Yatsu thought. He was carrying Angela by the collar of her dress. it was hard, even in fox form, to carry her in his mouth. It didn't help that she was squirming around.

"You let me go Mr. Fox!" she whined. "I wanna go back with Mifune!"

"Shut up, and stop wriggling!" Yatsu growled, his voice muffled through the fabric in his mouth. "Someone will find us."

"Too late," a voice leered behind them. Yatsu turned and froze. "Stealing kids isn't cool at all."

Ame lunged at him, taking his neck in her jaws. He was at a disadvantage with Angela in his mouth, so he was an easy catch. He was startled when he felt an electric current pulsate through his body. He was so scared that he dropped Angela and collapsed to his knees.

"That was her soul wavelength?" he thought, struggling to rise and open his eyes. "How did she attack me directly like that? Anyone who can do that has an upper hand against me; that's why we stay away from that loud brat and the teachers. Now she can do it?"

He saw a web of soul energy pulsing in her jaws.

"It's taken me a year to perfect that," she growled. "Intimidated yet? If not, I'll take you by the neck again and shake you until you stop moving."

Yatsu retreated without a second thought. Ame laughed. That wasn't so hard.

Mifune struggled to stand. He had to get her back. Just as he was about to charge into the brush after the fox demon, a white wolf entered the clearing, carrying a small girl in her mouth. Mifune thought nothing of the wolf beyond enemy, so he struck out at her with his sword, taking Angela from her and pulling away. Ame whimpered and transformed into a human, pouting slightly as she looked up at him. She didn't look as young as Angela, but she didn't look old enough to attend the academy.

Mifune froze. "She's just a child. What is she doing here?"

"Are you alright?" he asked, kneeling next to Ame cautiously.

"Mifune, this nice doggy saved me from the fox," Angela said. "She's a good dog."

"I see," Mifune smiled. He reached out to pet Ame's head kindly. She had wolf ears and a tail, just like that fox demon in his human form. Ame looked up and smiled at him kindly, spreading as much of her playful Madness wavelengths as she could.

"Come on," she thought. "Take the bait."

"I'll have to repay you some day," Mifune said.

"That's what I like to hear," Ame smiled.

It didn't take more than that to drag them to the academy.

"Ame, did you bring them?" Kid walked outside to greet them. Mifune tensed. He shouldn't be here. He put a protective hand on Angela, keeping his eyes locked on Kid.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I assume everything went according to plan?" Kid asked Ame.

"Even better," she smiled. "We're under contract."

"We're what?" Mifune wasn't aware of this.

"Mifune, what's a contract?" Angela asked, tugging on his sleeve.

"You don't have to worry; we didn't bring you here to hurt you or Angela," Kid reassured him.

"The academy doesn't accept witches," Mifune said.

"Actually, we do. One of our students is a witch. Anyway, as I'm sure Ame didn't tell you, we need your help."

"I'm not interested in helping you," Mifune turned. "My only mission is to protect Angela."

"Wh-what about me?" Ame whimpered. Mifune paused.

"Come on, take the bait," Kid thought.

Mifune turned to face them again. "What do you want?"

"If you agree, we'll make sure Angela is kept safe. We want you to help us infiltrate the Gitsune's lair to stop them from spreading Madness all over the world."

"Madness has been spread before," Mifune shrugged. "What do you need me for?"

"This isn't Asura we're up against," Kid said. "Our enemy is much stronger than that and she won't give you any mercy. They will keep coming after you and Angela, and they won't stop until she's dead."

Mifune hesitated. What did this brat know about it?

"We're willing to forget about our past with you," Kid said. "And you wouldn't want to let Ame down, right?"

Mifune sighed. "Fine. I'll do it. But as soon as the Gitsune are out, I'm leaving and I'm taking Angela with me. I'm not the academy's pawn."

"Of course not," Kid said, leaning down to pet Ame's ears. "You're Ame's pawn. She calls the shots now and it sucks."

"It's not wise letting a child control everything," Mifune smirked.

"That's alright; she's my age," Kid continued.

"She's what?!"

**Soul Eater NOT… is going to have an anime adaption. Soul Eater NOT… is going to have an anime adaption! Yay! Thanks for your support and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	65. Chapter 65

Later that night, Kid, Ichigo, and Ame were conversing before going to bed. They needed to come up with a plan to present to Lord Death tomorrow before training. Liz and Patti didn't have much interest in their war stories and had gone to bed early. They were exhausted from the long days they've been having.

"Ichigo, do you remember where you saw the hideout?" Kid asked.

"Yeah, it was almost like a den of some kind. It was warped, as if there was some kind of force field around it."

"Do you think you can help us chart the surroundings?" Kid asked, laying a large sheet of paper on the table. "We need a detailed battle plan so we can send teams in."

"I'm not sure," Ichigo thought. "I remember something about a tree… but I was in a panic trying to get away from that place."

Kid turned to Ame, who was staring at the paper serenely. She covered her right eye, staring at the white sheet with her odd green orb. It took only a moment before her tail curled up over her shoulder, writhing over the paper viciously, her face a silent mask of fear. She was drawing in everything in great detail, from trees to landmarks to buildings, with the den in the center. She blinked and stopped, doubling over the table. Kid caught her before she fell over and she smiled at him slightly. It was a small smile, not nearly as big as it was before.

Training for a Battle; New Techniques and Upper Hand?

The entire EAT class was outside in the forest, working on their resonance attacks and anything else that they could use against the Gitsune. They broke off in small groups, but they were still oriented around Ame and Ichigo to hear whatever they had to teach them.

"Hey, Blackstar!" Ame shouted. "Come here. We have a battle to finish."

"You two had a fight?" Kid asked. The others seemed relatively surprised as well.

"Was my soul wavelength not enough for you?" Blackstar asked, charging the said wavelength in the palm of his hand. Ame laughed and transformed into a wolf.

"No, I just want to show you something. Come at me!"

"Alright, as long as you're ready," Blackstar charged at her. "Blackstar Big Wave!"

Ame dodged his attack, turning to take his shoulder in her mouth and electrifying him with her own wavelength. Blackstar collapsed and backed away from her.

"You stole my idea," he muttered.

"Gitsune cannot handle a soul wavelength," Ichigo said to the others. "Soul resonance and any form of wavelength attack will be enough to keep them at bay."

"Why didn't you tell us that you could directly attack with your soul wavelength?" Maka asked.

"I guess it took a while to get it under control," Ame said, looking at the other students fighting. "Ever since Blackstar used it on me, I was amazed. If I can control the very fabric of existence, and I was taken down by a mere wavelength, I needed to learn what made him so powerful. That's why he and I have an… understanding, so to speak. Keep training; we have to leave tomorrow."

"Are you sure they'll be ready?" Ichigo asked as Ame moved to stand next to him in human form.

"They're fast learners," Ame reassured him. "And we're going to scatter the Gitsune. They've been picking us off one by one, but that's because they're afraid of us as a group."

"A group of idiots," Ichigo scoffed. Ame turned to him with a bitter look in her eye.

"Take that back," she snapped. "They've been doing more than you have. You let two children die under your watch."

"And that human had to run away with his tail between his legs as soon as I came," Ichigo spat, his voice rising.

"That human wouldn't have left if his life wasn't on the line," Ame growled. "I warned everyone that these Gitsune can kill, and we need numbers."

"Numbers against what?" Ichigo demanded. "You plan like you hunt."

"You would know nothing about that, dog," Ame growled. "We're doing all we can."

"It's not enough. A battle between the gods is no place for humans. A battle between you and Ninetails is no place for Kid."

That did it. Something inside Ame snapped and she lunged for his throat.

Ichigo deflected her attack and she landed behind him in wolf form. He turned around and leaned down on all fours. His dog form was a large, well-built malamute dog. He growled at her.

"Attacking your own now, huh?" he snarled. "You're nothing compared to your mother."

"I'm not like my mother," Ame countered.

"No, you're not. Pathetic little Ame."

"Enough!" Ame yelled, lunging at him. He snatched her neck in his jaws and she writhed in his grip. She quickly landed on her hind paws and flipped skillfully, twisting out of his grip whilst sacrificing a bit of fur and skin from her throat. She faced him again, quickly taking the Resurrection Beads from her neck and whipping them in his direction. He dodged her attack and charged at her. She brought her reflector in front of her and lifted him in the air, slamming him down on the hard ground again.

Ichigo snarled and shook the blood out of his eyes as he got to his feet and backed away slightly.

"Alright, that's enough!" Kid stood in between them with his arms spread out. "We don't have time for this. If you two can't get along, then train with someone else. You!" he pointed at Ichigo. "Quit being a jackass to everybody. And you," he pointed to Ame. "Don't take your anger out on other people. Now both of you apologize."

"I'm sorry, Inugami," Ame said.

"I'm sorry, Amaterasu," Ichigo replied.

"Good," Kid sighed, walking back to his group. They were silent for a moment.

"… You learned that from Ikiru, didn't you?" Liz asked.

"Yes, I did."

Soul Eater

Ame went home with the girls and Ichigo as soon as the sun set to prepare for the battle tomorrow. Kid stayed at the school to plan with his father, as well as most of the teachers. The others had gone to bed long before Kid actually came home late at night. Ame's ears lifted and she rose from the couch when she heard the door open.

She saw him in the kitchen, leaning back in one of the chairs. He looked tired and stressed out. Ame moved to stand behind him, rubbing his shoulders gently. Kid sighed. That felt nice.

"I'm sorry about this," he said. "I know it won't do any good if I told you not to wait for me."

"It's alright," she purred. "Why don't you take a nice, hot bath while I make you some tea?"

"Thank you," he smiled at her. "You're a pretty good housewife."

Nose bleed. Kid chuckled as he watched Ame writhe around on the floor in a pool of her own blood for a moment. An hour later, he was in his room, drinking some of the tea Ame had brought him. She was rubbing his shoulders again, trying to ease some of the tension before he slept.

"You should get some sleep tonight," she said. "We have a big day ahead of us."

"I know," Kid sighed. "It's almost like… when we fought Asura, but worse. The girls wrote their wills today, just in case."

"I won't let them die," Ame growled. "It's because of this evil that the world is what it is. Asura wasn't truly evil, was he? No. It was all this Demon Lord."

Kid turned around abruptly, wrapping his arms around her in a bone-crushing embrace. Ame was shocked.

"Ame," he said sternly. "Please, please don't die. We need you. I need you. I don't know what I'd do if you never came back. Let me be your meat shield this time, okay? Just let me protect you—let me die instead. I don't want to lose you."

Ame closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace.

"You know I can't promise that," she whispered. "But if I die, please just kill yourself before you turn into a Kishin."

"I won't just kill myself," Kid gritted his teeth. "I will kill that fox wench too. Just to make sure the world will be safe without any heirs to the gods."

"It's a deal," Ame nodded.

"It's a deal," Kid nodded. Ame slithered her arms around his thin frame and began rocking him from side to side gently, as if to calm him down once more. She began humming softly.

_ "tookude inabikariga hikatteru  
yagate todoroku sorakara amega hanatarete_

kimiga nigirishimete hanasenaito omoumono  
hitotsu hitotsu sonoteno nakakara  
tokete nagareteyuku

tookude inabikariga hikatteru  
tokiwa kizamu kotowowasure tada kazeninaru

soshite saibouno kiokuga  
mabatakinotabini yomigatte michite  
kimiwa atoranteno kiokuwo  
tebanashita sonote nitori modoserukara…."


	66. Chapter 66

"Alright, let's go over the plan one last time," Kid said. He laid a map out on the table and pointed to selected areas of the map. "Stein and Marie will lead team A over the north side of the Gitsune's den. Maka and Soul will be with them. Sid and Naigus will lead team B across the west side. Blackstar and Tsubaki will be there, luring the Gitsune out this way. Since the sun rises in the east, Ame, Inugami, and I will infiltrate the den from the east side with team C. Mifune and the others are going to stay here to protect the city. Azusa and Ikiru need to stay here; we need Azusa's clairvoyance and someone with a brush on the outside. There are only seven Gitsune left, but I think they can multiply. With everyone going in at once, they'll be overwhelmed and we'll have an edge. Does everyone understand so far?"

He glanced around the room. Everyone seemed to understand. He looked down to see Ame sitting at the table, doodling on the corner of the map. She looked up at him and he smiled.

"Atta girl," he praised, looking at the drawing of a fox carcass cut into eight symmetrical pieces.

Infiltrate the Gitsune's Den! Will It Be a Quiet Victory?

"Do your best out there today," Ikiru told Ame, snuggling her closely and kissing her on the cheek.

"Mom," Ame complained. She was doing this in front of the whole school before they headed out to infiltrate the Gitsune's den. "Stop it, you're embarrassing me. And you're hanging all over me."

Kid chuckled slightly. Ikiru gave him a look and he cringed.

"We should be going," he said, clearing his throat and looking away.

"Oh, no you don't," Ikiru snatched him by his collar and smothered him like she had Ame. "You haven't lived a full and complete life until you've been smothered by an overprotective mother!"

"Ikiru," Kid whined, blushing a deep crimson. Ame wasn't the only one laughing. Public humiliation. It makes us laugh to see others endure it.

"Let's go then," Kid said, clearing his throat once again. Stein and Sid nodded at him before leading their teams in the planned directions.

"Do your best!" Lord Death said. "Go get 'em! Bring that fox's body back and we'll make a coat out of it!"

Ame nodded and climbed on top of Mudikappa's back. Some habits die hard. Very hard.

Team A attacked the north side of the den. They scaled the area, trying to lure the Gitsune as far from the den as possible. It wasn't long before three red-coated Gitsune materialized in front of them. The battle began.

Team B scaled the west side. The moon was setting soon. Blackstar was on the front line, making a real racket and blowing their cover, but that was actually the plan. They needed to lure Ninetails' minions away from the den as soon as possible so Ame and Kid could save most of their strength for the Demon Lord herself.

Team C was relatively small. The four gods were in the front with Nagi, Rin, Liz, and Patti, guiding them in the proper directions once given instruction and signals from other sources. There were a few skilled students with them to fend off any foxes that might come their way. Ame sniffed slightly and covered her nose.

"We're here," she scoffed, glaring at. Her brothers and Mudikappa growled. Inugami transformed into a white malamute, slinking low to the ground to creep closer and closer to the den. They made it past the little force field and beheld not a little den, but a large mansion with fox tails adorning the sides.

"This is the Demon Lord's refuge," Kid said. He turned to the rest of the team. "Everyone else, I want you to go assist the other teams. Nagi, Rin, you too. Make sure they stay away from here. We'll be out when the sun rises."

"But Ame," Nagi growled, putting his chin on Mudikappa's neck. Ame scratched his muzzle. It felt so wrong for them to be all separated after all they had been through together. But Nagi and Rin weren't really gods; just enhanced wolves adopted by Ikiru at their birth. Ame signaled them away and urged Mudikappa forward, not daring to look back.

"Hey, Kid," Patti said. "Why can't Nagi and Rin come with us? I mean, sis and I aren't gods, so why can't Ame fight with her brothers?"

"It's complicated, Patti," Kid dismissed. "Now quit asking questions. We have a mission to complete."

They stopped in their tracks when four Gitsune materialized in front of them. Ame flipped off of Mudikappa's back and transformed. She lunged at the first demon before it could attack her. It dodged her attack with ease, not bothering to counter attack. This continued, the demons succeeding to scramble them up and confuse them.

"They're toying with us again," Ichigo said.

"Yeah, and we don't have time for it," Kid said as he bumped into Mudikappa on accident. "We need to get past them, but how?"

"I know how!" Ame snarled, whipping her tail in a Gitsune's direction. The ink partially stunned him and she was able to get a few hits in. With a simple charge of her wavelength and a couple shots from Kid, the fox was down.

"That's strange," Ame said. "They're… not real. Kid, Inu, they're fake! Clones."

"I knew this was a waste of time!" Kid said shortly. He stood completely still so he could get a lock on the demons before shooting relentlessly at them. As soon as one was down, however, another materialized. Kid gritted his teeth. "Get out of the way!"

He went absolutely crazy, shooting in every random direction he could at a rapid speed. The dust settled, and they were alone again. Ame sighed, rising on two legs again.

"Don't spend your energy too much," she warned. "Or we may not make it to Ninetails."

"Right," Kid said, and they continued inside. Inside the mansion, they found a large room, almost like a ballroom. They saw it had no roof and the night sky was clear to see. The room was rather broken and gloomy, and some dark shadows around it seemed to scream things like danger and death and hatred and evil. This was the very room of evil. It made Liz shiver as a cold draft blew through the room. Kid, Ame, Mudikappa, and Inugami looked up as a light began shining down on them.

"A constellation, here?" Kid wondered out loud. "I never thought one could shine in such a dark place."

Ame looked up and tried to draw in the final stars, but once she did, she regretted it.

Soul Eater

Ame looked up and tried to draw in the final stars, but once she did, she regretted it.

The figure of Ninetails highlighted in the sky and the slim figure of the feminine fox leapt down from the sky and onto the floor of the room. She laughed darkly, her voice deep like a growl, her mouth moving only slightly as she formed words to speak.

"Foolish deity," she spat. "Just as you have come to stop me, you are the one who it was to awaken all of my power. Once I rise the sun, Madness will spread all over the world, and all of its people shall be mine!"

"We will stop you!" Kid yelled.

"Stop me?" Ninetails scoffed. "Go ahead and try. I will end you, just like I ended that pathetic human Sayo!"

"The real Sayo is dead," Kid remembered the corpse he and Ame found in the sake cellar. "Ninetails killed her and took her place to infiltrate the academy. Sly Kitsune. Is this all there is to them—lying and trickery? No." He glanced at Ame. "No animal can be a reprasentitive for all of the animal's kind, just like a human. I'm sure there are good Kitsune in the world… somewhere."

"Are you ready?" Ame asked him.

"Hell, yeah," he said. "Just like good old times, right?"

"Yeah," Ame nodded, grinning. She leaned down into a crouch and her tail began to ripple menacingly as she growled at their adversary.

"Mind your manners, underling," Ninetails chided, sending a wild paper slash in Ame's direction. Ame dodged and snarled at her again.

"I suppose we didn't give a proper greeting," Kid said. "Demon Lord Ninetails, I am Death the Kid, child of Death and the eight incarnation of the Dark Half. This here is Okami Amaterasu, child of the Sun and the goddess who will take your soul."

"Take my soul?" Ninetails laughed again. "This will be interesting. I'll have to warn you, though, that I am excellent at making patterns!"

Kid aimed his weapons at Ninetails, and the battle began.

**The chapters are getting a bit short, but I hope I am filling them enough. I'm just trying to cut to the quick a bit since I only have an hour to type each chapter if I want to keep up with deadlines. Anyway, I hope you like what we have in store tomorrow. Will Ame win? Or will she lose? Come on, how many times do the children of Life and Death have to face a boss?**

** Leave a review telling me what you think and I will be back later!**


	67. Chapter 67

Okay, I have to warn you; Ninetails has a brush. The ink the Gitsune collected has been corrupted and turned a dark red. It makes the battle more sporadic and Ninetails can do more damage to her enemies. Ame has a brush and only twelve of her thirteen brush powers. Ichigo has one brush power of Sun Rise, and Mudikappa has the power of lightning. Kid just had his demon weapons and a collection of taijutsu.

Was this fight fair? I didn't think so.

Gods and Ninetails Battle! Will it be Curtains for Our Heroes?

Ikiru, Lord Death, Azusa, and Spirit watched the battle from the Death Room. Ikiru wasn't that worried yet; she tried drinking some of the tea Lord Death offered her to calm her nerves.

"I forgot it wouldn't be just Kid and Ame fighting this time," she mused, watching Ichigo and Mudikappa. "All the gods can use any brush power they need to, as long as that power is recovered."

"And so it's practically three against one in that field," Lord Death said.

"Not really," Ikiru shook her head. "There are thirteen brush powers, twelve of which Ame has found. She's not as powerful as she could be. Rin died fighting the last Demon Lord, and she was at her peak back then. So was Shiranui, who fought alongside the human deity Nagi. They both died."

"The Demon Lord was called back in his own body back then," Lord Death said. "This is an entirely new form, and it is weak. Besides, you named Amaterasu after the white wolf that finished the Demon Lord off after Shiranui died. You have faith in her, don't you?"

"… I do."

If it weren't for being a god or a weapon, Kid, Liz, and Patti wouldn't have a clue what Ninetails was drawing. Only those with special eyes, who can see Ame's true form, can see Ink. Normal humans just see something appear out of nothing.

"Cherry bomb on your left!" Liz warned.

"I see it," Kid replied, moving as far away from the explosive as he could. Ame ran up behind him and head-butted the bomb back towards Ninetails.

"Ball-pushing physics for the win!" she shouted. Ninetails Power Slashed the bomb before it hit her.

"Is that the best you can do?" she leered. She raised her head and a blue sword came out of her mouth. Ame signaled to the others and they all drew a lightning bolt over the sword at the same time. Ninetails was electrocuted and stunned for a moment for just enough time for Ame and the other two to attack it relentlessly whilst Kid and the girls prepared their strongest Soul Resonance attack.

Paper slash.

"Resonance stable. Noise at 8.4 percent."

Left leg _broken_!

"Black needle wavelength fully charged!"

The rosary snapped against Ninetails' shoulder.

"Preparing to fire. Feedback in four seconds. Three."

Fire Burst!

"Two."

Triple Slash!

"One."

Just as Ame was about to gouge out Ninetails' right eye….

"Death cannon."

Ame and the other gods retreated as Kid shot a powerful blast in their direction. It hit Ninetails straight on, sending up a cloud of dust. There was silence for a moment. Was it over? The Demon Lord was rather weak after being gone two thousand years.

"That can't be it," Azusa said, adjusting her glasses rather nervously.

"That fox caused us so much trouble," Spirit said. "She'd better go down with a better fight than that."

"It's not over yet," Lord Death said.

"It's just beginning," Ikiru agreed.

The dust settled, and the fox rose, laughing.

"There's not even a scratch on her…" Kid said. "How can that…."

"We need to step it up a bit!" Ame barked, charging towards Ninetails.

"Not so fast," Ninetails said, her tail snaking menacingly in front of Ame and causing her to back away. "It's my turn now."

The fox's tails burrowed into the ground and ran underneath the floor. Ame's head shook from side to side as she tried to keep an eye on all nine of them. The tips of the brushes were tainted with dark red clouds in her left eye's vision. They meant death and Madness and destruction.

The tails sprung up straight in front of them and attacked. Kid and the others tried to stay together, but the demon tails were strong enough to separate them and keep them that way. Ame tried tearing the thick flesh apart with her ruthless attacks, but the fur coating the tails was like metal armor of the highest quality, and none of her shots were going through. Kid and the others were having the same problem.

After a few minutes, the tails retracted and Ame caught sight of the others. She tried to stay as close to them as possible. She began running back towards Kid, but a strong Power Slash stopped her and sent her flying.

"Ame!" Kid shouted. She didn't seem to be hurt too badly as she got to her feet and began running in the other direction. She circled Ninetails for a moment, daring the fox to attack her again, until Mudikappa caught the fox's attention by attacking. Ame was able to regroup with Kid at last.

"She may have nine tails, but she only has two eyes," Ame said. "We need to get inside somehow. I'm sure it's that demon pearl in her eye that's protecting her."

"It's our turn now," Kid said. "As soon as she draws that sword, stun her again."

"Right," Ame nodded and charged at Ninetails. The fox snarled and the blue sword appeared in her mouth again. Just as she was charging an attack, Ame drew another lightning bolt over it and the fox froze. Ame lunged at her face, ripping and tearing at the demon pearl lodged in her eye. She had to get it out now!

Ninetails rebounded quicker than before and raised her head to shake Ame off. Ame held on firmly until she was batted away by a giant claw. Ame whimpered as she got to her feet, three large gashes now running along her left shoulder. Ninetails shot a tail in her direction, ready to hit her some more, when Kid shot another Death cannon at the offending tail. Ninetails turned on him, throwing a paper slash in his direction. Ame jumped in between them, a thin but deep cut forming across her collar bone.

"Ame," Kid cautioned. "You're taking too much of a beating. I'll be fine."

"No," Ame growled, getting to her feet again and growling at Ninetails.

The fox wrinkled her nose as if something about the wolf disgusted her. She went ballistic, Power Slashing and Cherry Bombing and raining fire in every direction. Kid winced as he jumped out of the way of a paper slash, only to be burned on the leg with some fire.

"Are you going to make it?" Liz asked.

"Yeah," Kid nodded, gritting his teeth in pain as he got back to his feet.

The attack didn't cease; Ninetails was making sure they didn't get close to her again. All their counter attacks were useless. Kid used Death cannon three times already.

"We need something bigger," he thought.

"Hey, Kid," Patti said.

"This had better be important, Patti," he said, dodging another attack.

"You remember when we were fighting Arachne and you and Ame's stripes got all connecty with each other?"

Kid slowed down slightly. "Yes, I remember."

"Do you think we can do that again to come up with an even bigger boom?"

"Patti, you're a genius!" Kid turned his head towards the wolf. "Ame! Resonate with me now!"

"Right!" Ame said. "Ichigo, Mudikappa, guard us, okay?"

"On it," Ichigo spoke for both himself and Mudikappa as they jumped in front of Kid and Ame. Any attack Ninetails threw at them, they refused to dodge, and they refused to give in. They stood firm, protecting Kid and Ame as they charged their next, and possibly final, attack.

Kid and Ame concentrated as their souls began to expand and join each other. The Lines of Sanzu on their souls connected with each other, adding more force to their attack.

"I've seen that attack before," Ikiru said. "They're using their power to create a whole power."

"Yes," Lord Death nodded. "Since they're both pretty much half-powered right now, if they combine that, it makes a whole power—an Omni, I guess you can call it. They have the power of one god in all, both Inochigami and Shinigmai."

"That's an impressive attack," Azusa said. "Their souls have gotten so strong, but as one, they are almost equal to the Demon Lord."

"Didn't you say they used this attack before?" Spirit asked.

They were ready. They had enough power to end it all. Mudikappa and Ichigo jumped out of the way as Kid fired one last Death cannon and Ame shot one last Ink Bullet at the Demon Lord. The blow did damage, and the Kitsune staggered for a moment. She regained her composure and glared at the two gods.

"This ends here!"

Two tails shot out at both of them, driving through their bodies in a deadly attack. Ame's eyes were wide with fear and pain. Electric waves of the evil lord's own soul wavelength surged through their bodies. They could do no more than cry out in pain. Was this the end?

A bright light began shining above them and Ame dared to look up. The final constellation. For real this time. She drew in the final star, and the constellation came to life in the form of a white ox. For a moment, the battlefield cleared and Ame saw the Divine Realm.

"Amaterasu," the ox spoke. "I have long awaited your return. I am the final god in the Chinese Zodiac, and guardian of the final brush power that will enable you to defeat any evil. I, Itegami, give you the power of Shadow, that you may wield this power and all the others in one single element of Life!"

He tilted his head back and let out a loud bellow of victory and calling. She saw all the gods—Yomigami, Tachigami, Hanagami, Kabegami, all with the exception of Inugami—rally towards him and come together as one. The power transformed her Divine Retribution into a red, sun-like disk with colored flames dancing off the sides. Ame felt some sort of great power rush into her being, only to disappear the next second as she returned to the world.

Ninetails finally stopped tormenting them and they were thrown back to the ground. She raised the sword in the air as the sun began rising. The sun was no longer the beautiful orange disk that Ame had transformed it to be; it looked more like the previous sun did. It was bloody red, with blood pouring from the eyes and mouth. It laughed cruelly as everything that the rays touched became prone to Madness.

Ikiru watched the sun rise, something inside her seeming to break as she stared through the mirror at her nearly-dead child. She was shaking, her eyes wide.

"No," she whispered.

"I've won," Ninetails smirked to herself. She threw her head back and laughed. "I've won! Try and defeat me now, 'god'! I've shown you who the real god is!"

Ninetails stopped her laughter and looked behind her. Ame was sitting up, staring at the sky with an unfathomable expression.

"What? Not ready to give up yet?" Ninetails asked, turning.

"Why?" Ame thought. "Why can't I at least protect my loved ones? I wish I could save them. I will save them. Even if I die doing it, I will save them. If I die, I will become an angel.… I will fly."

Her eyes began glowing white. Her body seemed to transform in a beam of white light. Giant white wings spread from her back and reached around the entire room. The light was so bright that it burned Ninetails' eyes. The light was so bright that it nearly blinded everyone fighting outside the castle. Her wings… she _was_ an angel.

The next thing anyone knew, they were all teleported safely in front of the school. Most of them were wounded and injured, but none complained when they saw the condition of their gods.

Ame blinked and the light faded as she collapsed on the ground next to Kid, her last breath spent.


	68. Chapter 68

Pain. Hatred. Evil….

Failure.

Kid could hear the faint sounds of beeping machines and IV drips. His body was numb, as if a thick sheet was smothering him. His head was pounding, yet fuzzy at the same time. He opened his eyes; his vision blurred as his head shook from side to side in an attempt to clear it. He saw someone standing next to him.

"Kid?" a voice sang quietly. "Kid, can you hear me?"

His vision focused, and he could see Ikiru clearly. She was stroking the side of his face gently.

"Hey, Kiddo," she whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"It _hurts_," Kid whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as a wave of intense pain rolled over him. He felt Ikiru's hand moving, brushing, in a soft, steady motion over his hair. He tried to focus on that instead of the overwhelming pain in his stomach.

"You got hurt on the mission," Ikiru explained once he opened his eyes again. "There's a lot of black blood in your body right now from the wounds she gave you."

"Are the girls okay?" he rasped, unable to make his voice higher than a whisper.

"They're fine," Ikiru replied. "They're resting right now. You've had a hard loss."

"Loss?" Kid's eyes wandered a bit before he sat bolt upright. "Where's Ame?!"

"Kid, calm down," Ikiru wrapped her arms around him gingerly. He gave in to her embrace, clenching the gaping wound in his stomach in agony. Ikiru set him back down and ran a finger down his face. "She's in the bed next to you. You can't worry about anyone else right now. You have to focus on healing yourself. If we lose two gods, then we're doomed."

Kid turned his head to see Ame lying in the bed next to him. She was so beat up that it took everything in Kid not to scream. Several IVs and tubes were connected to her arms and hands. There was a mask over her face, forcing air into her unwilling lungs. A sheet covered her body, but Kid could only imagine what she looked like underneath.

He felt sick. He reached a hand up over his mouth and turned away, tears filling his eyes. He could no longer think about his own pain. Ame had it much, much worse than he ever did. And things were surely not going to get better.

Healing Wounds 3; A Hard Loss or a Petty Gain?

Ikiru watched Ame closely, never leaving her side for anything, not even to eat. She was guarding her, making sure that nothing would happen to her. Mudikappa often stood next to her, watching the girl that had saved him from what could have been his death in his weakened state at the time. Ichigo didn't linger as much. He didn't like seeing Ame so weak. She was supposed to become their leader soon now; she'd uncovered all her brush powers now. They all kind of imagined it would be a more victorious event, not as unfortunate as they were making it out to be.

Ikiru no longer had the full potential of an Inochigami. She wouldn't stand a chance against the Demon Lord, or many other enemies. It was all up to Ame now.

"Hey," a voice startled Ikiru into looking up. Lord Death was stood next to her and placed a hand on her head. His hand slid down her silky hair and rested on her back. "You're like an overprotective mother guarding her newborn pups. Ame will be fine; she's suffered a lot in the past."

"… I refuse to give up. As soon as she's better, she'll think of another way to get herself killed and do that. She doesn't like Life."

"Now, Ikiru," Lord Death said disproving.

"No, I mean it, Death," Ikiru turned to him. "Life cereal is disgusting. Every time she tries it she attempts going on a killing spree."

"Of course, Life the cereal," Lord Death chuckled at her silly behavior. He knew that deep down it bothered Ikiru to no end; that she was just trying to lighten the mood and relax a bit. However, things were different now. Madness was reigning free over the world again. There was no time to laugh.

They both looked up when they heard someone else enter. It was Mifune. Angela was clinging to his side quietly, looking around the room as he stepped in.

"How's she doing?" he glanced at Ame.

"She's stable for now," Ikiru replied, returning her attention to the said girl.

"What is it, Mifune?" Lord Death asked.

"I did what you asked me to," Mifune said. "Now Angela and I must go on our own way."

"Wait a minute," Ikiru said. "The Demon Lord and Gitsune are still out there. You're not safe."

Mifune was silent for a moment. The way she was talking was almost like an unnecessarily protective mother. He didn't like it that much, but he didn't really mind either.

"You can stay here at the academy," Ikiru offered. "You could be a teacher."

"No, I couldn't," Mifune mumbled, his face turning a light pink. "My only duty in life is to protect Angela. I don't need your help anymore."

"Ikiru," Lord Death spoke up. "Let him go. He's done enough for us."

Ikiru sighed. "Take care of yourselves. Maybe one day, we could see each other again."

"Maybe," Mifune nodded. He stole one last glance at Ame. He was glad she wasn't awake; then he'd never have the heart to leave. "And thanks."

Soul Eater

Kid's wounds were severe, but he was still a Shinigami. He was out of the hospital in a couple days, back on his feet in no time. That was good; that meant he only had a few days' worth of homework to do. As if that wasn't the least of his problems. Ame was still in a coma after the battle. Her last transformation took a lot of energy, and she hadn't woken up since.

"She has to wake up soon," Rin said. "To eat, right?"

Stein smiled at the little wolf. He'd heard that one before.

"Our Ame wouldn't give in so easily," Nagi growled quietly.

"We should have been there to protect her!" Rin cried. It seemed after three days of Ame's constant sleep was getting to him. "Even Liz and Patti got to help Kid! It's not fair!"

"Rin," Nagi pulled his little brother close. "Stop now. This is hard for all of us, but you have to keep it together, okay?"

"I want to go home," Rin whispered. "I just want to go home with Ame."

"Rin?" Ame's eyes cracked open. The other three stared at her in disbelief. Was she waking up?

"Ame?" Nagi asked.

"How do you feel?" Stein asked, getting to his feet and standing next to the bed.

"Weak," she replied. "What happened?"

"You and Kid almost died out there," Stein explained. "You were able to get them out when you transformed into a bird."

"Transformed?" Ame asked, confused.

"You mean you don't remember?" Rin asked.

Ame shook her head, what little energy she'd come up with spent. "Where are… where's Kid and the others?"

"They're fine," Stein replied. "Thanks to you, everybody got out alive. They're in class now, but they should be here to visit you soon. They've been coming every day."

"They have?" Ame looked up. Stein smiled slightly and nodded.

"You should get some rest before they come here," he said, petting her head softly. Ame sighed and closed her eyes once more. It felt like only five minutes later that she was coming to with the sound of voices.

"She's still asleep?"

"She woke up earlier for a few minutes. You don't have to worry; she should be fine."

"I think I'll just stay here for a while. The others were called out on an important mission, but my father wanted me to stay here anyway."

"Feel free."

Ame opened her eyes. She was no longer tied down with those pesky IV tubes or anything; she could sleep normally now. She looked up at her visitor. Kid. She smiled weakly at him.

"Hey," she said.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"…" Ame didn't reply for a while. It seemed that the realization of their failure was just starting to dawn on her. "Tired."

"I bet you're hungry, huh?" Kid said. He held a small take-out bag for her and she sat up to take it. Ame frowned slightly—she knew he was just trying to help, but the thought of stuffing her face right now wasn't appealing. Kid noticed her mood and tried his best to make it look like it wasn't a big deal. Madness reigning free, Demon Lord on the loose, no problem. All that mattered right now was if she could get better.

She didn't eat much. That's when Kid started to worry.

"Have the take-out boxes gotten bigger?" Ame asked, picking at her half-full paper box of chicken and chow mein noodles.

"No, your appetite has gotten smaller," Kid replied. He held his hands out and offered to take it, but she pulled away.

"I wouldn't want it to go to waste," she said, shoving another bite down her throat. She gritted her teeth and choked back on the repulsive stuff. It was clear she was already at her limit.

"Ame," Kid put a hand on hers. "It's okay. I'll save it for later; you can eat it then."

"Okay…" Ame gave up the strong front and leaned back in bed. Kid helped her swallow some water so she could sleep peacefully.

"There, is that better?" Kid asked. Ame nodded.

"When can we go home?" she asked.

"We'll go tomorrow," he promised her. "Just get some rest."

**Yay! Kid and Ame fluff! I notice this arc hasn't had a lot of fluff since everything got serious. Anyway, you've read, now you must review! Telling me what you think! I might get one more chapter done today, since it's Sunday and all.**


	69. Chapter 69

It was September again. Ame fingered through one of Kid's many books as she thought this to herself. They'd known each other for a year now. She kind of thought they'd be celebrating, but it was possible that they forgot. A lot was happening, after all. A party just simply was not appropriate.

Kid looked at his calendar, crossing out another week and flipping the next page up. He'd gotten a little behind when Ninetails was revived, so he was trying to catch up again. His hand paused over a day. September 18th. That was the day that he met Ame. He glanced around the kitchen a little guiltily. Was a mortal catastrophe really a good reason not to throw a small party?

Memories of Joy and Hopes for Love; Who's Party Is This?

"It feels weird going to a party now, of all times," Maka muttered as she and Soul made their way to Gallows Manor.

"Quit complaining about it," Soul said. "This is the day we met Ame. Can't you cheer up a bit?"

"I thought you didn't like parties," Maka said.

"I don't," Soul shrugged. "But that's no reason for you to be grumpy too."

"Fine," Maka sighed, forcing her face into a small grin. When they got there, Blackstar was already making a mess and Tsubaki was trying desperately to rein him in. Kid was annoyed as heck, and Liz and Patti were hanging about doing what they pleased.

"This feels too normal," Soul said as he entered the living room where the party was being held. It was just a small get together between the eight of them.

Ame walked down the grand staircase, wearing a rather fancy, trimmed shrine maiden top and obi with a matching trimmed miniskirt. She joined them with a smiled on her face.

"I was surprised," she admitted, sitting down with the others. "That Kid would do something like this now of all times."

"It's a special day," Kid insisted. "No demon is a reason not to celebrate it."

"I can't believe we've already known each other for a year," Tsubaki said. "So much has changed already."

"I usually don't track time," Blackstar said. "It slows me down."

"You're lucky it's a holiday for you Blackstar," Ame's eye twitched. "Otherwise I'd bench you again."

"For old time's sake, please," Kid begged. Ame got to her feet, clasped her hands together, and threw them under Blackstar's chin so hard that he fell against the back wall.

"He's out!" Patti laughed.

"Anyway, can you really count it as a year?" Tsubaki asked. "Ame left for a few months after we defeated that witch who wanted to revive Arachne."

"Right, that was right after she got her first brush power," Kid avoided the idea of Ame leaving.

"And we had a lot of things happen to us, even then, so I think it should count," Maka said.

"We didn't know you at all back then," Soul noted. "We didn't even accept Madness back then."

"But as soon as you came back, everything went whacko," Liz said. "You started living with us and we went on all kinds of crazy adventures that you got us into."

"Most of it was fun, though," Tsubaki smiled at the memories. "Like when you got a job at the otaku café and the school carnival."

"That was so fun!" Patti said. "And the karaoke. I didn't even think for a second that Ame could sing like THAT!"

"Yeah, but then things got all serious," Liz said. "Kid was taken and turned into a wolf."

"That was crazy," Kid admitted. "But I feel as if I can actually understand Ame sometimes now. That made it a whole lot easier to live with her."

"Was it hard before?" Ame asked sweetly.

"You ate all my food and you're high maintenance," he said. "You're a good housewife, but you think it's okay to sleep in my bed. Of course it was hard."

"Sorry to copy you, Maka," Ame said, picking a book off the table. "Maka CHAAAAAHP!"

"And then we went to the cave of the Twin Demons," Soul added. "I don't think I've ever had an adventure that trippy in my life."

"It was a trip for me, too," Ame said.

"How could you say that so nonchalantly?" Kid asked. "You died."

"And I was very touched that you cried, I really am."

"You little!"

"Maka Chop!"

"Can I have my book back now?" Maka asked.

"And then summer vacation started on the Madness," Liz said. "Man, it was fun going to the ocean for a while, right?"

"All I remember is Ame calling Kid Shinigami-sama," Blackstar admitted, coming to again. Ame slapped him and Maka chopped him out again.

"And then we can't forget Chibiterasu!" Patti sang.

"Who's Chibiterasu?" Soul asked.

"Thanks a lot," Kid mumbled. "Miss Say the Worst Things at the Worst Time."

"Chibiterasu was a puppy from the past that Kid and I had to take care of, moving on!" Ame rushed them through it.

"No, wait," Maka said. "You mean you and Kid had to babysit a goddess?"

"Yeah."

"Anyway," Kid tried to draw them away from the subject.

"Like parents?" Tsubaki pressed.

"So?!" Kid and Ame demanded. Tsubaki and Maka grinned. Maybe they'd been right about Ame and Kid being more than just friends.

"By the way, Kid, I found out why I went through Crona when I met him," Ame said. "That new brush power I have is Shadow. It allowed me to go through him by deflecting the black blood in his body."

"What is Shadow supposed to do anyway?" Kid asked.

"I don't know, but I have all of them now."

"That's right," Maka said. "All of your brush powers are recovered now. You can totally bring down any enemy you choose now!"

"I guess," Ame sighed. "All except… one."

**This just kinda came out of nowhere and slapped me in the face. I was honestly going to write something a lot different. It's short and not very serious, but I just kind of wanted to renew the timeline and put in a little reminiscence of good times to kind of remind the characters that there's still hope if you find it in each other. I'll be back soon!**


	70. Chapter 70

Ame stared out the kitchen window at the horrible sun. If only she could stop this Madness from reigning free.

"This is bad," she said. She and Kid were making dinner. "Such evil. I can't even sleep at night."

"I know," Kid said. "By this time, I wonder if even Asura could do something like this. I mean, all he truly wanted was to not be afraid anymore."

Ame looked up, almost dropping her knife as she considered this. She had an idea.

First Kishin's Revival; I Know You're Mad, but Are You Nuts?!

Ame went to see Lord Death alone the next morning. She was tense, as if she wanted to tell him something he wouldn't like to hear.

"What is it, Ame?" he turned around to face her. "Is something the matter?"

Ame just stood there for a moment before she spoke. She didn't even look at him.

"Can I… can I revive Asura?"

"Why would you think about doing something like that?"

"I've just been thinking about it lately. Forget I said anything."

"Ame, wait!" Lord Death called after her, but she was already gone. Geez, kids just never listen.

Ame was standing under her cherry blossom tree. It was a year ago that this tree sprouted from her madness, as a beacon of hope to all those who were in despair. Now look at the world; it wasn't doing much good. The tree had stayed in full bloom all this time, through the cold winter and hot summer. Now it was wilting.

"I need to do this," she spoke to the tree. She covered her right eye so only her left eye could see. She saw death and madness everywhere, radiating from the tree. "Guardian tree, take my soul and let me see those beyond the grave."

She fell to the ground as everything went black. Her soul was ripped from her body and she escaped from the world of mortals. The place she was in was dark for a moment, then her vision cleared and she saw grassy plains and wild flowers. There was no sun, and no moon, but light still spread like daylight over the plain. This was the resting place for gods. Gods didn't go to the Grim world, not the Divine Realm, but they came here, the Celestial Plain.

She walked around a bit until she saw the daylight become dark. That was odd. She stepped into the darkness and saw the ground beneath her disappear. What was this doing here? It was as if all the hope and beauty of the Celestial Plain had dissolved into nothing more than the despair and darkness of the Grim World. This feeling wasn't evil, and it wasn't wrong. It just was. It took but a few minutes for Ame to find the cause of this darkness.

The boy was older than her. His hair was a deep black with white markings in it to make his hair resemble eyes. He was covered in scarves, red coat, and black pants. He was sitting there alone. He was the one who caused Madness to reign free the first time. He was pathetic once placed in front of Ame, all filled with sadness and the fear that had always haunted him.

He was Asura.

Ame put her hand down, lifting the other one to cover her left eye. If he knew who she really was, this would never work. She walked closer to him. He looked up at her.

"Who's there?" he gasped when he saw her. "No. It can't be."

"I'm here," Ame said, swaying slightly as she approached him. "Asura."

"Don't call me that!" he shouted. "You're not here! No one is! It's just me."

"I came back," Ame continued lying, roll playing in place of her sister.

"You're lying!" Asura denied her, pointing a finger at her. "She was dead and her soul was taken by Arachne. She no longer exists."

"Look at me," Ame murmured, closing the distance between them, still holding her eye. "My left eye is gone because you took it. It was the only thing you have left of me and you made sure not to lose it by putting it inside yourself."

Asura touched his forehead, where his third eye was. He blinked at her, confused. He hated confusion. He hated not being able to understand things. She always made him feel at least a little better.

Ame lowered herself next to him, reaching out to caress his face gently.

"Believe," she whispered.

Asura's face contorted slightly as he wrapped his thin arms around her tiny body and drew her close in a tight embrace. A single tear fell from his eye and fell to the dark ground. The darkness around them stretched away until it disappeared, like a ripple in a pond. There was green grass and rich flowers and at last, after centuries, peace. He was finally at peace.

He whispered her name once and Ame nodded.

"What is this place?" he asked, looking up. It confused him to be in such a happy and colorful place.

"This is heaven," Ame replied, skipping to her feet and wagging her tail. She leaned down to grab a few strands of tall grass to bind together and form an eyepatch for herself so she could have free hands. "Come on, I've been waiting to show you around!"

She pulled him out of the small hole they'd been sitting in and lead him to the top of the hill that overlooked a great valley. There was a stream of crystalline blue water, a cherry blossom tree, and just warm blue skies for as far as the eye could see. This was the Celestial Plain.

"Come on," she said again, pushing him down the hill and transforming to chase him down. She tackled him at the bottom, to which Asura didn't complain. Her sister played rough with him all the time, just not too rough.

"You haven't changed," Asura noted. Ame put her head on his chest. He reached up and touched the makeshift eye patch uncertainly. Ame closed her eyes and put both of her tiny hands over his frail ones. "Your eye… I don't understand."

"What is there to understand?" she asked. He looked away from her, rolling her off his chest and sitting up with his back towards her.

"… I don't know," he admitted. "There's nothing more to understand, I guess. That is when we stop living. We just start dying. Death comes to those who deserve it through Divine Intervention and Divine Retribution. So then why?"

"What you felt was not evil, nor was it wrong," Ame said softly, wrapping her arms around his chest and putting her head on his shoulder. "Fear is felt by everyone mortal and immortal. It's those in between that we need to worry about. It wasn't wrong to think that fear needed to be eradicated, but it was wrong not to trust those around you. You could have come up with a better way."

"I remember the day I met you," Asura said, stroking her hands softly. Ame's left eye began to act up, and she saw the exact same memory through the eyes of her older sister.

Soul Eater

A summer breeze knocked on the window, and I opened it to let in the sun. I could hear all the beautiful tweeting notes being carried away. I set my red-marked white book to the side.

"Hey, little guy, where on earth are you from?" I asked. And just like every other day, it was three in the afternoon.

I was a terrifying creature, a wolf. So was my mother. She was shunned, and I was sure I would be treated the same. I'd retreated to a cottage to live out my days in solitude, only coming out when I was needed. If anyone saw me, they would indeed be afraid.

It was one particular day that someone was crazy enough to stop by. I heard him coming closer and panicked. I dropped my book and spilled my tea, but nothing else came before the soft rapping on the door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I jumped. I'd never heard such a sound. After a few moments, whoever it was walked in without a reply. He was shocked to see me hiding under the desk, trembling.

"Don't look at me," I tried to speak. "You'll be scared, just like I am."

He just smiled back. "I was once afraid, just like you, of living life. I was so scared that I would turn completely stone, but living in a world where no one is ever scared, now, wouldn't that be nice?"

That made me look up. That would be great.

And so the promise between Asura and Ame's older sister was made, to live fearlessly. They were brave back then. Ame blinked and tightened her embrace around Asura.

"Will you stay with me forever?" he asked quietly. Ame frowned and looked up as a sharp breeze seemed to pull them in the direction of the cherry blossom tree. A deep darkness came from the tree, opening up and reaching out. Ame and Asura go to their feet, preparing to fight if it came to it.

Whatever it was only got stronger. Ame could faintly hear voices. She glanced back at Asura as her feet began moving against her will towards the dark hole. Asura reached out a hand, but they were already so many feet apart.

"Wait!" he shouted. He screamed her name once more.

"Asura!" Ame screamed back.

Ame opened her eyes again. She was on earth, laying on the ground. That's strange, her friends were all… standing around her. Kid was right next to her, tears streaming down his face.

"Hey, guys," she smiled softly. "What's everybody doing in one place?"

"A-Ame…" Kid whispered. He pulled her into a crushing embrace and began crying into her shoulder.

"Huh? Wh-what?" Ame tried to pull away, confused. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Ame!" Liz's tone was almost scolding. Ame saw she, Patti, Maka, and Tsubaki were all crying too.

"Ame, you weren't breathing," Maka whispered, cringing into Soul's chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"How could you scare us like that?" Tsubaki asked.

Ame didn't answer. She didn't know what had happened. Of course, she was only lying to herself. She did the thing that Inochigami weren't supposed to do and someone found her. At least they didn't move her away from the tree. That would have been bad.

**Spoiler? I don't know. What do you think it was? How is Ame able to transport her soul from one place to another? I wonder, I wonder. Anyway, that's it for today, folks! Leave a creative response in the review section below.**


	71. Chapter 71

Kid had been walking home with the others. They all stopped at the cherry tree. It didn't look so good; the petals were shriveling up and turning a dark red color. They were worried; Ame said that it wouldn't shrivel unless something happened.

"It's withering," Kid said.

"Hey, what's that?" Soul pointed at a little white bundle by the roots of the tree. Kid paled. What was she doing here? "Hey, wait, that's Ame!"

"Ame!" Maka ran towards her. "I can't see her soul. Kid, something's wrong."

"Kid, she isn't breathing," Liz whispered as she began to tremble.

"Oh my god," Kid gasped as he knelt next to Ame. He shook her slightly. "Ame. Ame!"

She didn't have a pulse. She was so pale, as if she'd been lying there for a while. Suddenly, before they could do anything, her eyes flickered open.

"Hey, guys, what are you all doing here?" she whispered. Kid was furious, relieved, horrified, and ecstatic all at the same time. He couldn't form words in his mouth as he pulled her upright and buried her face in his shoulder.

Dreams and Disasters; Who's Lies Comfort Whom?

Kid sat bolt upright in bed, covered in sweat and gasping for air. He had that nightmare again. It was just a dream—a nightmare—created from the Madness. He sighed, putting a hand over his racing heart. Without any more fuss, he got out of bed and left his bedroom. He had to be sure. He walked down the hallway and into her room. She was lying motionlessly in bed.

He stood there for a moment, observing her closely. She was awfully still. He reached his hand down to touch her forehead, trailing it down to hold it over her mouth. He relaxed when he felt her steady, warm breath on the palm of his hand. Her eyes opened and she looked up.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized, pulling his hand away. "I-I just, I don't know, I just…"

"It's okay," she said, turning to face him and sitting up. "I have those nightmares too. Do you want to talk about it?"

Kid sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "We… we were walking home from school when I saw your tree. It was wilting. It shriveled into a small, black seed, then it grew again. But it wasn't your tree. It was black, with large fruit about the size and shape of an apple falling off. It looked weird, like it was made of some unsolid matter. The scene changed and I'm standing in a field. For some reason, I felt as if it was supposed to be green and beautiful, but it was nothing more than a barren desert with black sand."

"Black sand?" Ame asked, scooting closer. "What else?"

"I'm looking at myself from the outside. I just look sad, as if I've lost something important to me. My face contorts and I start spitting up blood. It was terrifying. I blink, and when I look up again, the person spitting up blood… is you."

Ame wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought him close to her chest.

"What you saw was nothing more than a hallucination from the Madness," she lied. "Im fine. I won't drop dead like a mere human."

"I hate this," Kid whispered. "I hate this helpless fear we all have. Asura was never trying to make us fear; he was trying to make us forget our fear. The recklessness of it was scary in itself, but at least he wasn't trying to make us kill ourselves."

Ame hummed slightly, nodding as if she was only half-listening. Kid disentangled himself from her and stood up.

"I should let you rest," he said. "I'm sorry for bothering you. You should get more rest."

Ame watched him leave. She frowned.

"And so the third lie has been cast," she said to herself. "Only time praises me for what I've done."

The next morning, they were eating breakfast before they had to go to school. Ame tossed the cereal around in her bowl for a bit.

"Ame, please eat something," Kid urged. He sat down next to her with his oatmeal and put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong with you lately?"

"I'm just a little off," she replied, putting her food on the floor. Mudikappa rushed right up to her and gobbled it up greedily.

"Mudikappa," Kid groused. "It was cute when you were little, but this is disgusting."

"…" Ame looked up, a spark flashing in her green eye. She suddenly got a very god idea. The idea was very obvious, actually. All she could think to say was, "Oh."

Ame and Kid were actually late that morning. They'd been gathering in the Death Room with the other gods, death scythes, and teachers every day before classes to discuss things. They ran in, and everyone looked up.

"So glad you could finally join us," Azusa remarked. "You two need to be on time."

Lord Death ignored her bossiness as he greeted the two. "Ame, Kid, so glad you could finally join us. Might I ask why you were late?"

"You'll love this," Ame nodded. "I have a plan!"

"Oh boy," Spirit sighed. "Please don't let it be you and a syringe against the Demon Lord."

Ame cleared her throat and closed her eyes. They could tell she was very confident about it.

"If Gekigami and Inugami can have mortal bodies in this world, they all can. If I embody every single god of the Zodiac, then it wouldn't be four deities against a Demon Lord; it would be fifteen gods against a fake.

"…."

There was total silence for a few minutes. The answer was obvious, right in front of their faces. So then why didn't they see it before?

"Oh." They all chorused.

"I looked it up, and it is possible, and Ninetails will actually try to do it first so she'd have the powers all to herself like she had before. We have to go to the Zodiac clock and we have to get there before she does."

"We were late because we're already packed for the trip," Kid held up a bag.

"Wait, wait, Kid, think about this," Lord Death cautioned. "You'll just get killed by those Gitsune if you walk in there blind. I'll assign a team to go with you immediately, just be patient."

Ame shook her head, her eyes flashing with anger as she glared at him.

"That's not good enough!" she screamed. "I've let you have your way until now and I'm sick of it! You don't listen to me because I'm just a child to you, but I know more than you think I do. Look around us! We don't have time for underestimating each other. We're going before it's too late because I won't let us give up again!"

Lord Death was absolutely shocked at her outburst. He held his hands up.

"Okay! You got me. Do what you want."

"Looks like our little sis is finally growing up into a woman," Nagi smirked. Ame slapped him and glared at his corpse.

"Shut up, Nii-nii! I'm on a freaking roll!"

Soul Eater/Cue Giving Kushi a Ride again

Ame, Kid, Maka, Blackstar, and their weapons were on high alert as they ran up the mountain and through the golden gates. They were ready to fight for whatever they were to face.

"They're almost to the top of the mountain," Azusa reported. "At this rate, they should be at the Zodiac clock in a few minutes. I didn't know they could run that fast."

"They're not running," Lord Death said. "They're hitching a ride."

It was true. Ame was riding Mudikappa, Kid was on his skateboard, and the other two meisters were on the backs of Nagi and Rin. They ran up the winding path of the mountain, guided by the golden gates and beacons. They skidded to a halt at the top. There was the shrine.

"It looks like we made it here before anyone else did," Kid said, scanning the area with his soul perception abilities. "Keep your guard up. Ame, go inside and do what you need to do. We'll stay out here and guard your back. We'll keep the Gitsune out of the shrine."

"Okay," Ame nodded. "Ichigo, and Muddikappa need to come inside with me. The rest of you, be careful. We'll be in and out before you know it."

"Right." The others nodded and the Inochigami went inside.

Ame stood at the center of the clock; Mudikappa and Ichigo on their designated portions.

"Okay, we're going to resonate," Ame explained. "I've never done this before, so I'm just not sure what I'm doing. But you need to follow my lead, okay?"

She dipped her head back and looked at the red sky as it began to darken above her and open up. Her soul began to expand, along with those of her companions.

Maka looked up suddenly.

"What's up?" Soul asked. Kid and Blackstar looked at them.

"Nothing," Maka shook her head. "Their resonance is strong; it startled me is all."

They could tell she wasn't telling the whole truth, but they didn't question her. They resumed their watch as a twig snapped in one of the bushes.

Back inside the shrine, Ame inspected the souls of her partners. Mudikappa's was strong, but mysterious. He was probably the one person she trusted so much, and he held a high respect and trust for her as well. She had saved him when he was abandoned.

Ichigo's soul was brave and laid-back, yet rational and proper. He was a very ideal person for Ame's resonance, so easy to cooperate with. Ame twitched—wait was that?! She suddenly felt a flicker of something dark, sinister. Were the Gitsune here?!

"Don't let them inside!" Kid shouted. "They're not ready yet!"

"I got this," Blackstar smiled. "Blackstar Big Wave!"

He sent a trio of Gitsune flying. Those demons landed on their paws and transformed into humans. It was Kai, the Medusa re-color, Kiba, the Gopher re-color, and another female Gitsune they'd never seen before. She had russet fur, like all of them, and purple irises. Her hair was long and straight; Maka almost immediately recognized her as a recolor to the witch Eruka.

"If it isn't another copycat," Kid frowned.

"Silly fool," Kai laughed. "Gitsune take their human forms and base them off of humans that already exist. It's all trickery and mimicry, really."

"How unoriginal," Kid scoffed. "We made it here first. Now I suggest you leave, before we make you."

"Of course," Kai growled. "But first, we have a message for you."

Her body grew a little fuzzy around the edges, as if she was just an image.

"Ninetails still knows all the brush powers. She knows even more than Ame does."

Kid gritted his teeth. "You tore those pages out of the book!"

He was speaking of the white book with a red sun on it. This book had been around for centuries, containing the complete history and progression of Inochigami and Shinigami. Neither Kid nor Ame were prepared for Mudikappa or Itegami's arrival since the last few pages, containing a bestiary and index of the gods, were ripped out of the book not too long before Ame was born.

"How much are you Gitsune responsible for?" Kid asked. "It was your wolf-dog that blinded me. How long have you been around under our noses?"

Kai winked. "I suppose that's for a later time. Spoilers, you know? See you, reaper."

She and her staticy companions retreated slowly. Kid glared after them and looked up at the sky as a pillar of light shot from inside the shrine to one spot where the sky was opening up. It was almost time.

Ame looked up at the rest of the constellations of the Zodiac gods.

"Yomigami!" she summoned.

The dragon floated down in his new human body. He was tall, rather old-looking compared to the other gods. There was a scroll in his sword sheath, signifying his power of Rejuvenation.

"Tachigami!"

The mouse flew down. He was a tiny thing, with a large sword tied to his back and a small mouse tail and ears sticking out of his short, spiky/fluffy hair.

"Hanagami!"

This one is annoying. He was lean and lanky, not very well built, with a black-tipped white monkey tail and thick sideburns. There was a small clover tucked into the collar of his kimono.

"Bakugami!"

Why are there so many male gods so far? Oh well. This god took the form of a well-built man with a similar hair cut to Hanagami and Tachigami.

"Nuregami."

Ame originally thought she was actually a guy, but whatever. Nuregami was a tall, slim woman with her sleek hair pulled to one side of her head like a snake's hood. She wore a close-fitting, yet long a flowing kimono. Small fangs stuck out just a little when she smiled.

"Kabegami."

The cat was elegant, yet still kind of cute and fluffy. Her hair was short and straight. She held a ball of yarn and her face turned up in a classic cat grin. She had cat ears and a tail.

"Kazegami."

The horse goddess of wind was a strong, independent female, looking older than the others like Yomigami. There was a small whirlwind on the front of her obi.

"Moegami!"

The flaming rooster was a boy with long hair with red tips. He held a ball of fire; he was one of the few who could conjure up an element straight from his palms.

"Kasugami!"

The sheep god was a sweet little girl with a standard scarlet kimono and two black goat horns spiraling out of her head. She had a flask of sake chained to her wrist, which she was greedily drinking from constantly.

"Yumigami!"

The girl had soft rabbit ears and mochi rice mallet in hand. Something told Ame she'd be doing a lot of the cooking.

"Itegami."

The god of Shadow was a boy cloaked in a dark kimono. Two black horns stuck out from underneath his hood, but that was all Ame could really see of him.

That was it. All thirteen of the gods were now here. They were ready to fight.

**Oh my gosh my dog just got sprayed by a skunk. What an idiot. Anyway, I now have 20 reviews! I have now surpassed all my other fanfictions! That was my goal for this dream!**

**Candyluver2121, hey you! And yeah, I'm glad you liked it so much. And I meant not to put Ame's sister's name in there EVER so I can surprise you with it later ;) And I got the meeting scene from a song called 'Imagination Forest' by Ai. Good job recognizing the reference though! :D**


	72. Chapter 72

It sounded like a good idea to bring all the gods to earth. At first. Kid didn't even consider all the gods staying at his home or eating his food or using up all the hot water. Now that those problems were actually present, he wanted to die.

**New title sequence!**

_How do you believe in your Life_

_Like everything, everything…_

_Don't call my name and play_

_Melody is gone_

_I don't know why!_

_How do I believe in your words_

_Like everyday everynight…_

_Why am I so sad?_

_In my Life_

_Melody is gone_

_I don't know why!_

_Show me your…_

_Everything is the illusion_

_What I was longing for_

_Can't you see the day_

_It's just a lie_

_You kick in my dream_

_It's fine, I'm alright_

_Please stop my dream_

_What should I do?_

_You'll say "Good-Bye"_

_Tell me what you want!_

_Please wake me up_

_It's just a lie_

_You'll kick in my dream_

_It's fine I'm alright_

_Please stop my dream_

_What should I do?_

_You'll say "Good-Bye!"_

_Please wake me up!_

_Throw your cards. Down face up_

_Everything is fading out_

_What I was longing for…._

A House-Full of Heaven; Who's Idea Was This?!

Kid's not so expected house guests were, for the most part, quite proper. They didn't complain much and they followed most of the rules. They each had their own room; for once, a good portion of the rooms in the mansion were full. Then why was Kid so bothered by them being here?

Well, there's too many off them, so they take up all the hot water, they eat all the food, Kasugami drinks all the sake, and Hanagami was being a little brat.

"Hey, Yumi," Hana said loudly. "Can we have American food for dinner?"

"No, no, rice balls with fish!" Kabegami pitched in.

"It's a mad house," Kid whispered as he watched the gods quarreling in the living room. "Why did I agree to this?"

"I'm making sukiyaki!" Yumi shouted, silencing the others with a fiery glare.

"Don't let the whole rabbit thing fool you," Ame said. "Deep down, bunnies are vicious."

"Hey, Kid, you got anymore sake?" Kasu asked. She was lying across the coffee table in a skimpy-French-girl-Titanic pose, tipping her empty sake flask upside down in frustration.

"Soft, soft, soft, soft, soft," Kabe purred, kneading one of the couch pillows with her thin fingers. She hugged it against her face. She liked feeling surfaces.

"We're going to kill that demon for what she did to Ame," Moegami said. He had a burning spark within him, and he was a warrior. More like, he always looked for a fight.

"We're going to skin that wench and make mincemeat out of her!" Bakugami shouted. Baku's flaw, he talked loudly, and he was clumsy.

"If we go in without a plan, it might be a decision against you," Yomigami warned. He was older and no doubt wiser as a strategist.

"If we think this through, though, we can have the Demon Lord down and go home before the first snow fall," Tachigami said. He was small and rather girlish compared to the others, but he was clever.

"We're going to stay here for a while, aren't we?" Hanagami asked Kazegami. Like previously stated, Hana was more like a little boy than a man, and was easily excitable.

"Sure, you think that," Kazegami ruffled his hair, her face turned up in a rather sardonic sneer. Kaze was independent, and she cared for the others, but more in an older teenage sister way.

"Modern warfare is a guy thing," Nuregami scoffed. She was sitting at the table next to Itegami, who just nodded. Itegami was a bit more of a mystery; he didn't say much, and he continuously covered himself with a lot of clothes. It kind of reminded Kid of, god forgive him for thinking such things, Asura.

"Is everything satisfactory?" Kid decided to join them now. All the gods fell silent and looked up. They ran forward immediately.

"Amaterasu!" they sang as they forced themselves upon the said goddess standing next to Kid. Kid deadpanned.

"Even they ignore me!"

"You've gotten so tall!" Hanagami said. He was the only one shorter than her.

"You've grown up well," Nuregami said.

"Where'd you get a rack like that?!" Kasu demanded. Ame tilted her head.

"But… my chest is flat," she said.

"I'm jealous," Kasu deadpanned and retreated to the corner to pout and be gloomy.

"But I don't have a rack!"

"Ignore her," Moegami said, frowning at Kasu with a bored expression.

"Having fun?" Inugami asked, stepping into the living room. "Honestly, you guys. No wonder Kid doesn't have a full house."

"Hey," Kid interjected. "I don't mind."

"We don't mean to trouble you," Nuregami said graciously.

"Yeah, we can pitch in," Kazegami added.

"You don't have to do that," Kid shook his head. "You're my guests. You can relax."

"Darn it, Kid, just ask for help," Moegami muttered.

"Nuregami and I will clean up after dinner," Kabegami offered.

"And I'll help Yumi with cooking," Kasu volunteered, getting to her feet and running into the kitchen. Kid smiled at them.

"Thank you," he said. "I never thought this would actually work out, what with Ame making my life a living—!"

GRADE-SCHOOLER FLIP!

"Shut up, Kid," Ame growled. "I can kill you in your sleep and I have thirteen other people to blame."

"I'm sorry…."

Soul Eater

Ame was in bed, sleeping peacefully when she was awoken by a soft shaking. She opened her eyes. This had better be good. She sat up. Hanagami was standing by her bed, clutching his pillow tightly and trembling.

"Hana, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I had a nightmare," he whispered. "Can I stay with you for a while?"

"Come here," Ame smiled, scooting over and patting the mattress next to her. Hanagami climbed in beside her and cuddled close to her. Ame smiled at him and held him close. They both looked up when they heard someone open the door again. It was Kasu. "You too, Kasu?"

"I wanna stay in here," Kasu nodded, crawling into bed next to Ame.

"You just drank too much before bed," Hanagami said.

"Be quiet," Kasu snapped back. The next couple of visitors were less expected.

"Moegami, Kazegami, and Yumi, you three?" Ame asked, folding her legs beneath her to make more room. It was a good thing she had a huge bed.

"I-I wasn't scared!" Moegami snapped. "I was just checking on you… you know… if you had bad dreams too."

"Yeah, and I wanted to protect Hana," Kaze lied.

"And someone needs to make sure Kasu doesn't drink before bed," Yumi added. "But as long as we're here, we can hang out for a while, right?"

They joined the others in the bed, curling up around Ame.

"Why do we have nightmares?" Yumi asked. "We didn't have bad dreams before."

"Your mortal bodies are prone to the Madness," Ame replied. "But you can stay with me. I don't mind. I never mind."

Kid awoke with a start. Another nightmare. He'll never be ready to face Ninetails at this rate. He saw a flash in the corner of his eye and turned. He stiffened.

"Kabegami, what are you doing in my room?" he asked. She was sitting on the bed next to him, her tail flicking back and forth contently.

"I was bored," she said. Kid stiffened. The only other cat he knew was Blair… this didn't look good. "And you're cute when you sleep."

"How long have you been watching me?" Kid asked, sitting up and inching away from her.

"Not long," she shrugged. "And you're kind of like Yumi. You don't really join parties and you get all lonely and stuff."

"Oh," Kid relaxed slightly. "Well, thanks for your concern. I just didn't want to bother Ame tonight."

"You can talk to me," Kabegami said, snuggling down close to him and watching him with her golden, feline eyes. Kid settled down a little before he began.

"It was Ame."

**Sorry it's a bit short. I'm very limited on time, and I just wanna COFFEE TABLE FLIP unfinished works and GRADE-SCHOOLER FLIP those who don't finish them. You should feel lucky (=w=) The new opening is Throw Your Cards Down from Touhou Project. I recommend listening to it. And by now I'm kind of considering Kando Reduction by AkiAkane as the ending theme.**


	73. Chapter 73

Kid awoke the next morning to the sound of loud snoring. Kid struggled to open his eyes. Who the heck could snore so loudly? It was like Blackstar's snoring. Kid turned his head and deadpanned.

Kabegami was sleeping silently next to him, with Nuregami's body curled around her. Bakugami was behind both of them. He was the source of all the noise. Kid sat up in bed unhappily. How did they get in his room?

It dawned on him that they probably just broke and entered like Ame always did. Divine break and entering… interesting.

Slow Down; Why is it Taking so Long?

"Hey, Kid," Maka greeted the next day at lunch. They were so busy with their studies that they hadn't had time to engage in conversation that morning. "How's life living with fourteen gods?"

"It's fine," Kid replied with a rather forced smile. He turned to his lunch and opened his bento box lunch. Shocked by its emptiness, he searched the inside until he found a small slip of paper with a message written in the best calligraphy.

"Sorry, bro. It was delicious. –Bakugami."

"I'll kill him," Kid gritted his teeth angrily, a dark cloud emanating from his soul and body.

"No lunch, huh?" Tsubaki asked.

"I'll share," Blackstar offered. "Tsubaki's cooking is great, and I'm not that hungry today anyway."

"Thanks, Blackstar," Kid nodded. "But with how much you've been training, you should eat more to keep your energy up."

"I'm just not hungry lately," Blackstar's voice was a bit quieter now. That was strange; didn't the big star want all the attention he could get?

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Kid said. "I'm just tired from all the work lately, but I just can't get to sleep."

"I have bad dreams if I sleep," Maka added quietly.

"What does this Demon Lord gain by killing all of human kind?" Soul asked, irritated.

"That's just it, Soul," Kid replied. "Humans will die. The Demon Lord never took a human form, and now she's a fox. Last time it was an eight-headed dragon."

"Back then, weapons and meisters didn't even exist," Maka said. "So we're not sure if we'll be any good if we help you fight Ninetails."

"What's taking them so long?" Liz asked. "Your wounds are healed, aren't they? And we have the gods now, so why can't they locate the Demon Lord so we can kill her?"

"It's tough, Liz," Kid replied. "We can't send out teams; it's too dangerous, so we're just using the mirror. Azusa's been a big help, using a bunch of who knows what to find the source of all this madness, but Ninetails moved the source to the sun itself."

"She thought this through too well, the wench," Soul grumbled.

"How do the others feel about this?" Crona asked. "You know, Bakugami and them."

"They're like Ame. Scared, but confident. If they die in battle, then their spirits are just brought back to the Divine Realm. That's part of why they're such an asset. That, and they saw how Rin killed the last Demon Lord. Their human bodies are only an inconvenience when it comes to normal lives."

"You don't mean they have Madness attacks like Ame, do you?" Tsubaki asked.

"No, of course not," Kid shook his head. "Now that Ame has found all the brush gods, she shouldn't have those anymore."

"However," he thought to himself. "With what Kabegami told me last night, I can't be so sure. Something's different about Ame… something that puts her in danger. She knows something, but… I don't want to pry. If only she'd tell me."

Ame sighed, staring at the misty vapor rising from the hot bath water. She shifted her gaze to her female bath mates. The girls were all sitting in different corners of the tiled room, their white hair and red tattoos being the most prominent thing about them as they splashed about with each other.

"Ah!" Yumigami squeaked. "Kasu, get off me, you pervert! I can wash my own hair!"

"Sleek and smooth," Kabegami purred, running her fingers down her tail gently.

"I like how clean the water is here," Nuregami said, leaning back in the bath with Ame. "By the way, why did you imagine me with a female body?"

"Just cause," Ame shrugged. "Although I usually call you 'gods' you're more like familiars; you differ from Kid and I because you're just composed of spirit. You're soulless and genderless. I can resonate with you, however, through the power we share, and create souls for you as I please. I do create things, after all."

"If _they_ were to come here," Nuregami inched closer to Ame. "If Maka saw we didn't have souls, would she panic?"

"No," Ame said. "You are all gods of my Zodiac. If they won't trust you, then they aren't worthy of me either."

Soul Eater

Ame met Kid at school after class so they could check in with the Death Room once more. Kid insisted that she could stay home and he'd just relay the minutes back to her… he didn't want to leave Kasugami at the manor unsupervised.

"It's like if we left Chibiterasu in a room full of knives alone," Kid alleged as he walked in through the doors.

"Aw, calm down, Kid," Liz said. "I thought you weren't so uptight now that Ame's here."

"That was Ame," Kid said.

"Hey, you four!" Lord Death greeted happily.

"How's it coming along?" Kid asked.

"We don't have a lock on her location yet," Ikiru said. "But we have a general idea that Ninetails has made her new den somewhere around the Zodiac clock."

"Keep searching," Kid encouraged. "We have to find her."

"We're doing all we can," Azusa said. "As far as safety concerning the city, Ame, have you found anything new?"

"The Gitsune backed off," Ame informed them. "Looks like the familiars won't be a surprise for Ninetails. And I found something recently. Now that I found all the brush gods, I was going through all those old artifacts and getting rid of the ones that didn't work anymore. However, the thing I found wasn't made by a god."

She brought a black wolf mask out of her bag.

"This is useless for me, but Kid, on the other hand…."

She put it on Kid's face and his body shivered once as he transformed into a black wolf. He shook his head and ripped it away from him, shifting back into human form as he stared at the mask in distain.

"What is that?" he demanded.

"It's a mask created by a magical tribe in the old days of Amaterasu," Ame replied, picking up the mask. "It allows special people to transform into wolves so they could fight alongside us."

"That could be convenient," Spirit said. "Make sure that doesn't get in the wrong hands, okay? Don't tell Blackstar about it."

"Got it," Ame nodded.

When Kid and Ame got home, he heard an awful racket in the living room. Kid immediately went to see what the issue was with being quiet for the neighbors. The gods were totally filling the large room. Ame had set up a microphone and a couple speakers next to the television, which was hooked up to a computer playing music and a lyrics power point. Karaoke? Karaoke. Really? Really.

"So raise from your graves!" Kabegami sang.

"The service here is better than Hell,

Come on, go barefoot (on the mountain of needles)

It's good for your health, so keep moving on

I'll get my payback on the way back."

The others applauded her efforts at singing Heartfelt Nekoromancer. Ame stepped forward.

"How dare you have a karaoke party without me!" she squealed.

"Come on, then," Kabegami said, handing her the microphone. "Let's all do one together."

"Come on, Kid," Nuregami purred, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him towards the little stage they'd made.

"No," Kid planted his feet on the ground. "I don't sing."

"Come on, Kid," Liz encouraged.

"No," Kid frowned. He hated singing period, especially in front of other people, and there were plenty of people here. "I don't want to."

"Ame!" Kazegami said impatiently. "Work your magic on him!"

"Should I go seduce him?" Kasugami asked.

"No, come on, you guys, he doesn't have to," Ame sighed. "I'm just forever alone, I guess."

A knife. Right in the heart. Stabbing. Kid sighed.

"Fine," he said, standing next to her. "I'm doing one with you. And it better be relatively normal."

"Got it!" Ame sang, moving over to the computer and selecting a song. The broken punk beat began playing again and Kid closed his eyes.

"**Mic test, mic test**," she said.

"_**Uh… hi**_," Kid said. "_**Hi, hello**_**.**"

"**Ah! Ah-aaaah!**

_**Moshi, kono sekai ga subete  
Otogibanashi da to shitara  
Kimi wa kitto nageku daro  
"Nande konna sekai na no sa"  
**_

**A-!**

**Moshi, kono sekai ga subete  
Otogibanashi da to shitara  
Kimi wa kitto sakebu daro  
"Konna sekai buchi kowashite yo"**

_**Ai to shigarami ni torawareta  
Kotoba wa ushinawarete  
Ai to yokubou ni torawareta  
Kimi no minikui kodoku wo**_

**Chotto kite chocchotto oide  
Chotto hora nannimo shinai kara  
Chotto hora chocchotto oide  
Chotto mite naitenai de NE?**

**Chotto patto, **_**ne?**_

_**Chotto PAtto hakidashite hora  
Tsumoritsumotta FURATOREESHON  
Mattenai de BUCHIkonde ima  
Otete tsunaide TEREPOTEESHON  
Watto haita tsubuyaki ga ima  
Kimi to tsunagaru KORABOREESHON  
BURABURA samayotta aa  
Megurimegutte SATISUFAKUSHON**_

It's official. Gods like to sing.

Ame grinned at Kid, to which he simply smirked. He wasn't going to admit that that was fun, not after all that's been going on lately. But that was the point, he guessed. That was all she wanted.

**I'm sorry for being a day late! But I got an outline so I can work more quickly now.**


	74. Chapter 74

** Oh my gosh. I was complaining about having nine follows and only seven favorites… now I have exactly 11 follows and 11 favorites! :') I could cry there's so much symmetry! Thank you all!**

"Wake up! Kid, wake the heck up now!"

Kid felt someone jumping on his bed. Was it Patti again? He opened his eyes quickly.

"What? What is it?" he asked, rather startled. Ichigo pulled the curtains away from the windows and drew the sun in the sky.

"We got a lock on the Demon Lord," he said. "We gotta go now!"

Kid and the others got ready and regrouped at the Death Room immediately. Maka, Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Soul were there as well. Kid assumed the rest of the students were waiting outside.

"Father, what's going on?" Kid asked.

"We found her," Lord Death said urgently. "It's very sudden, but we were able to get a lock on her location this morning."

"I assume we're going, then?" Kid asked. He turned to Maka. "We need to set up groups. Can you contact the others?"

"Kid, we're… not going," Tsubaki said before he could say anything more.

"What?" Kid demanded.

"It's too dangerous for humans, even weapons," Azusa explained. "It's best if Liz and Patti stay here too. You can use the Oina mask; you've fought as a wolf before."

"We'll be watching you the whole time," Maka tried to make him feel better. Kid was quiet. He wasn't sure about going without them. They fought everything together; Asura, the Spider Queen. Kid shook his head once. He was immortal; he'd outlive all of them eventually, so he'd better get used to the idea of letting them go sometime. However, when he saw Liz's unhappy face, he wasn't sure again.

"Alright," he dismissed, turning to leave. "There's no time to lose. Ame, come on."

"Hey, sis, wait," Nagi tried to caution her. The wolf girl turned around to face her wolf-formed brothers. Rin pressed his muzzle against her chest, and she stroked his face softly. Kid sighed. This was as hard on them as it was on Liz and Patti. It wasn't fair for them to be left out like this.

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "Just wait here."

Kid stepped towards Liz and Patti.

"Girls," he addressed them. He brought them close in a rare, yet affectionate hug. "If I don't come back, I want you to take care of yourselves, okay?"

"Yeah," Liz nodded, trying to be brave for her younger sister.

"You'll come back, Kid," Patti said, smiling. "Right?"

Kid didn't say anything. He just turned and left.

Charge the Demon Lord's Fortress; Giving Kushi a Ride Again?

Ame met the other gods outside. Stein and Spirit were outside with them, waiting to watch them go. Ame's eyes browsed the group haphazardly.

"I can't believe it's come to this," Kid muttered. "We're leaving everything behind, and we probably won't get a second chance this time. Are you sure we're ready?"

Ame looked down for a moment. She grabbed a lock of her hair and cut it off with the blade of her glaive. She held it out and used her tail to draw a single line coming from the white ends to make a type of handle for it. She turned to Stein.

"Stein-hakase, do you have an empty syringe that I can use?"

"Sure," Stein handed her the said object, which Ame quickly grabbed and stabbed into her neck. Black blood poured from her veins at her command, filling the syringe with ink. She handed the syringe and paintbrush to Kid.

"If worse comes to worse," she said. Kid nodded seriously. Ame turned her head. She felt something stirring in the distance, pulling her closer. "It's time to go. Ichigo said he'd meet us there, so we'd better start moving. It's time to start playing our old running theme, Kid."

"I know it well," he nodded, summoning his skateboard.

And so their journey began. The twelve remaining brush familiars, Ame, and Kid raced against time to complete what was started before they could remember. They were fighting for peace of the worlds, a type of settle in the storms that had endlessly tormented them since the revival of Asura. Without peace, the wars had no opposite, no balance. Kid was finally fighting for balance. For peace.

"They just passed through the first golden gate," Azusa reported, staring into the mirror. The golden gates set up around the world were like mirrors; they were directly connected to the mirrors in the Death Room and the Zodiac clock. However, whoever passes through the gates are not able to speak directly with anyone on the other side of those mirrors.

"Already?" Lord Death asked. "They're making good progress."

"Kid doesn't seem to have a problem keeping up with these gods," Azusa agreed. Her tone was ever so slightly surprised. "They're about to enter the Forest of Confusion."

"Sounds dangerous," Tsubaki remarked.

"Ame, where are we?" Kid asked as they all came to a stop in front of a dark forest.

"They call it the Forest of Confusion," Ame replied. "The woods are full of Madness wavelengths and most people who enter there get lost and die."

"We're close, then?"

"Yeah," Ame nodded. She turned to the others. "We have to go through here; it encircles Ninetails' den. Remember, it's not about getting out on the other side; it's about making sure everyone gets out together. We can't afford to lose anyone in these woods, got it?"

"Right," the others nodded.

"Yomigami, you're level-headed enough," Ame said. "You take the lead. Kazegami, can you make sure no one falls behind?"

"I will," the horse nodded.

"Good. It's probably best if we enter in our other forms so the Madness won't affect us."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Bakugami asked.

Soul Eater

This forest was the trippiest thing they had ever seen. The trees were all of unusual colors and the plants seemed to move on their own. They didn't encounter any animals, but that just proved their theory that not even animals could live in such an evil place. It made them feel sick and lost.

"We only have a few minutes before we completely lose our minds," Ame warned. "So move quickly."

Kabegami felt the rough ground beneath her cat paws and looked around nervously. She was a bit skittish about going into the unknown. She saw one of the odd-looking plants reaching out from the shadows to caress her fur and stiffened. The next thing she knew, the vine shot outward and straight through her, impaling her.

The others stopped when they heard a scream. It was Kabegami, who was sitting on the floor and covering her eyes with her paws. Ame stood next to her and prodded her gently with her muzzle. Kabegami looked up, realizing that it was just a hallucination and that she was unharmed. She hesitantly got to her feet, licking her sore paws in silence.

"Well, well," a voice leered. They all looked up in the trees. Kai. "I didn't think you'd make it this far, but I have yet to be impressed."

"What do you want, fox demon?" Moegami demanded, his feathers aflame with hatred.

"Just wanted to let you know that if you want out of here alive, I know the way," the woman replied, jumping down from her perch on a branch and standing in front of them. "I can show you. That is, if you can keep up!"

She transformed and growled at them once before taking off into the brush. The others ran after her, ready to be rid of this madness. Kai spiraled through the vines and thorns without a problem; it was clear she had some training running through here all the time. But Ame wouldn't let her out of sight. It was a race against time and madness itself. They kept running and running, trying their best to ignore the chaos buzzing in their heads.

Kid's pace faltered. Being more human than animal, he was more prone to the madness. It was as if it was in the air, and he was inhaling it with every gasp. He couldn't breathe. He collapsed to his hands and knees, coughing violently. Ame skidded to a halt next to him and nudged his shoulder.

"Get up," she said. She growled through her teeth anxiously, taking the multi-colored disk off her back and putting her neck under Kid's arm. He obediently crawled on top of her so she could carry him. She bolted, keeping pace with the others and following Kai's strong scent through the woods.

"There's the golden gate!" Yomigami yelled to the others.

They were just a few feet away from it now. Ame kept running until they finally made it through the gates and collapsed from exhaustion.

"They made it through," Azusa said. "It's just a short sprint to the den now."

"Kid, are you okay?" Ame asked as Kid slid to the ground. He was trembling, silent. Ame laid down next to him and put one foreleg around him. "We'll rest here for a while."

The others were glad to hear that. They all sat in a small half-circle in the small grove, one by one regaining their strength. Ame kept a close eye on Kid to make sure he didn't stop breathing or something. It looked like he was sleeping. Ame smiled softly. He was cute when he slept.

"Amaterasu," Yomigami spoke up quietly. Ame looked up. "I didn't notice that disk on your back before."

Ame looked at the multicolored sunrays dancing off of the orange disk that had replaced her Divine Retribution when she gained the final power.

"It used to be my Divine Retribution," Ame said. "It was kind of hectic when I gained the final power, and I guess I haven't noticed it since."

"That's the Solar Flare," Yomigami informed her. "It's the Divine Retribution's second form. There is one more form, which it will take when you reach your full potential and connect the Lines of Sanzu. Why can't I see them unless I look at your soul?"

"I guess I hid them," Ame admitted. "Like a donkey skin hides beauty."

She looked up and got to her feet. The den was just a short sprint away from them now.

"It's time."

**And the symmetry is ruined...**

**Hi everybody. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in two days, but I've been really sick lately and I didn't feel like posting anything, but I'm better now, so enjoy the next couple of chapters I'll post today!**


	75. Chapter 75

Ninetails had done some remodeling in her style. This time, her den was no more than a platform with eight circles on it. It was fashioned to look like the Zodiac clock. Ame narrowed her eyes. How childish, pretending to be god.

"Remember the brush, Kid," Ame said.

"Right." Kid nodded. "But if worse comes to worse comes to worse, you can get us out of here with that trick again, right? When you transformed into a bird."

Ame froze, a look of horror plastered on her face. "I did what?"

"You… don't remember?" Kid asked. "You transformed and brought us all to safety."

"I never did anything of the sort," Ame muttered, her eyes blank and unyielding.

They all stepped towards the platform, but they were stopped by seven fox demons. These foxes weren't just images created by Ninetails; they were all here in the flesh.

"Move out of our way," Tachigami warned.

"Aw, is the little mousy shaking with fear?" the Gitsune smirked.

"Get out of our way!" Moegami demanded. "Or I'll burn you to a crisp."

"Feisty," Kai laughed. "I always loved a good fight before a feast."

Final Fight with the Gitsune; And the Shocking Truths Revealed Afterwards?

The battle commenced. Kid clenched his fists, not used to not having weapons in his hands. It again felt wrong. Two Gitsune noticed his 'vulnerability' and attacked. Kid grinned at their foolishness. Just because he wasn't armed didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. The Gitsune lunged at his throat, but Kid caught the foxes by their throats, symmetrically, of course.

"What kind of idiots are you?" Kid demanded. "Thinking you can challenge god like this? Fools." He glared at them. "I judge you."

"Kid!" Ame called, throwing the black wolf Oina mask in his direction. "Here!"

Kid grabbed the Mask and put it over his face, blinking once. He transformed into a large black wolf and growled at the Gitsune.

"Looks like they're having a final battle with those demon recolors," Soul noted.

"Yeah," Maka clenched her fist. "I hope Kid gives that wench a knuckle sandwich for me!"

"Let's leave the violence to Kid and the others for now, okay?" Lord Death suggested. He turned his head to look at Ikiru. He didn't see her sitting calmly at the table until now. She had Ame's sketchpad and was doodling absentmindedly. She always was a bit childish at times, just like her daughter. "Whatcha drawing there, Ikiru?"

They all peered over her shoulder and deadpanned. It was a picture of Ninetails. To make it seem reasonably censored. Ikiru seemed pleased with her masterpiece and sat back in her chair, balancing her pencil on her upper lip.

"What?" she asked.

"Are you sure she's the goddess of innocence?" Tsubaki asked quietly.

"I question myself every day," Lord Death replied.

"So how long until they get to meet this Demon Lord anyway?" Blackstar demanded impatiently.

"Not that long, I guess," Ikiru said. She smiled. "You students are familiar with yourselves; you are Death's army. You see weapon versus Kishin. You now get to witness what happens when you mess with Life's army. This is god versus spirit."

Soul Eater

"Take this!" Moegami shouted, drawing a Fire Burst over the group of Gitsune. They fled from the fire, but Nuregami was on the other side, drawing a Water spout directly towards them. They almost drowned from that alone.

It was an impressive battle. Yomigami and the others didn't think they'd see a battle this fierce. When Ikiru left eight hundred years ago, when her first child was killed, all the gods were scattered and lost. They thought they'd never see Life again. Yet, Ikiru had another daughter. Amaterasu. She became just as much in their hearts as the incarnation before her and more. They were fighting for her. They wouldn't let her be taken away from them again.

It was time to fight the most epic pre-battle battle of their lives.

_How do you believe in your Life_

_Like everything, everything…_

_Don't call my name and play_

_Melody is gone_

_I don't know why!_

_How do I believe in your words_

_Like everyday everynight…_

_Why am I so sad?_

_In my Life_

_Melody is gone_

_I don't know why!_

_Show me your…_

_Everything is the illusion_

_What I was longing for_

_Can't you see the day_

_It's just a lie_

_You kick in my dream_

_It's fine, I'm alright_

_Please stop my dream_

_What should I do?_

_You'll say "Good-Bye"_

_Tell me what you want!_

_Please wake me up_

_It's just a lie_

_You'll kick in my dream_

_It's fine I'm alright_

_Please stop my dream_

_What should I do?_

_You'll say "Good-Bye!"_

_Please wake me up!_

_Throw your cards. Down face up_

_Everything is fading out_

_What I was longing for…._

_It's just a lie_

_You'll kick in my dream_

_It's fine I'm alright_

_Please stop my dream_

_What should I do?_

_You'll say "Good-Bye!"_

_Please wake me up!_

_Throw your cards. Down face up_

_Everything is fading out_

_What I was longing for…._

The Gitsune curled on the ground. Was this the end for them? Ame stepped forward, glaring at them. Yes, it was the end.

"Are you really going to do this?" Kai whispered. "Kill? Are you sure this is Divine Retribution? Or is this mass murder?"

Ame hesitated.

"Do it, Ame," Kid urged. "Don't listen to her."

"Maybe we were right," Kai said, grinning. "You're not the real goddess Life, are you? Ever since the last one died, you were just a copy your mother made to heal her broken heart."

"Shut up," Ame gritted her teeth.

"You're nothing but a broken sheep in wolf's clothing, aren't you?" Kai said.

Ame twitched. She raised her head, her green eye flashing with anger and pain.

"Die," she said once. The Gitsune was ripped apart from something inside her. Blood, both red and black, splattered on Ame's kimono. She scoffed in disgust as the other Gitsune fell to pieces as well. Kid flinched.

They continued to the platform. The only thing in their way was now a permanently silenced memory. Ame transformed and stood on four legs at the top of the platform. A familiar husky was waiting for them.

"Ichigo," Moegami snapped. "Thanks for your help."

The husky grinned and looked up at the sky. Ame froze. Something didn't feel right. Then, as if possessed, she dipped her head back and howled to the dark sky. The clouds cleared, revealing the sun. It had changed again; it was not the ugly face that it had been, but a scarlet disk once more. There was a design on it; nine red lines, all curling around the sun like a hand holding it, crushing it. From a beam of the sun's light, a fox rose. It was the Demon Lord Ninetails in the flesh once again.

"So we meet again, Amaterasu," she laughed. "I thought you gave up after your defeat. Are you really so stupid to challenge god again, you petty deity?"

"I have thirteen brush gods and a grim reaper on my side," Ame said proudly. "And I have all my power; you can't take it away from me now."

"Actually, I can," Ninetails said, her right eye flashing. "You see, you don't have thirteen brush gods on your side, you only have twelve."

"What?" Ame blinked.

"It's true," Ichigo said, stepping forward with a serious face. "You see, Amaterasu… I'm no longer working for you."

**And so ends the cliff hanger. I always find these easy to write, you just type type type type type until you find a good part, and then—! You stop!**


	76. Chapter 76

"You see, Amaterasu… I'm not working for you anymore."

"What?" Ame demanded. "What do you mean?"

"You can't do that!" Kazegami shouted.

"Actually, yes, I can," Inugami smirked, flashing his sharp fangs. "It was Ninetails who revived me. I do not belong to someone who was so incompetent that she couldn't bring me back. Do you have any idea what it's like wandering in the dark for eight centuries?! You worthless spirit."

Ame gritted her teeth. Inugami laughed.

"Inugami…" Yomigami tried to speak to him.

"Don't call me that!" he spat. "That's not my name anymore. From this day forth, I shall be known as… Inuyasha!"

Battle Against Demon Fox and Dog; Will I Become an Angel?

Ame was silent for a long time. She just didn't know what to say. A member of her own Zodiac… betrayed her after all this time? How? Why? She didn't understand.

"What?" Ikiru whispered.

"Looks like the person we trusted the most… wasn't one to be trusted after all," Lord Death said quietly.

"No," Soul said. "It can't be him."

"He set us up," Maka gritted her teeth.

"Damn him," Blackstar muttered angrily.

"Not cool," Kilik said. "Why would he betray someone like Ame?"

"Kilik, Kim, Ox, you're here too?" Liz asked.

"It's a small world, isn't it?" Kim asked.

"And me," Hiro said quietly. "And I brought someone."

"Fool!"

"Oh god, it's Excalibur…" Blackstar looked away.

"Fool! I'm not here for your lazy chitchat, I'm here to watch Amaterasu get her butt kicked."

"Why would you say something like that?!" Ikiru demanded, looming over him and thrashing her limbs about. "You're our friend, aren't you?!"

"Calm down," Lord Death told her, flicking her in the forehead and sitting her down at the coffee table again.

"Ame's not making a move," Azusa said. "I understand this is hard on her, but do you think she'll back out?"

"No way! (Fool!)" the others shouted. Azusa was surprised at their outburst. She composed herself and straightened her glasses.

"It was just a question."

"Ame has something more than a lot of power," Crona said. "She has us. And she has him."

"Ame," Kid said quietly. "Come on. What's done is done. Now we must finish this."

Ame nodded, transforming passively. The fire within her reignited and she growled at her enemies.

"Demon Lord Ninetails, and Demon Dog Inuyasha, I hope you don't come back!"

"Looks like our meal is ready to play before the feast," Ninetails growled, preparing herself for battle.

"Hey, Ame," Moegami said. "How do you like your fox cooked?"

"Medium rare," Ame replied. "But I'll settle for char-broiled!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Moegami said, taking flight in the sky and drawing fire towards Ninetails. The Kitsune didn't even flinch.

"You think it would be that easy, rooster?" she laughed. "My amour won't allow such a thing."

"Kabegami, go!" Ame commanded.

"Right!" the cat agilely danced her way around the fox and jumped on her back, digging her claws into the fur beneath her. Ninetails reared and threw her back to the group of gods. Kabegami landed gracefully on her feet. "It's no use. That fur is like metal."

Kid growled through his teeth. "This is just like that one time."

"You're going crazy!" Ame said, turning her head to face him. "You're starting to talk just like me!"

Ame dodged a giant tail that would have flattened her. It slithered back to its owner and Ninetails growled.

"I'm growing bored of this chatter!" she roared. "Either fight me or hold still so I can cook you!"

"You ready for this, Kid?" Ame asked.

"Yeah, I'm—" Kid paused when he clenched his fists. Oh. That's right; he didn't have Liz and Patti with him.

He lifted the wolf mask up. It was time to change. He just now seemed to realize where he belonged. Sure Liz and Patti were his weapons now, but what about eight hundred years from now when they were dead? How many symmetrical weapons can there be in the world? He couldn't fight as a wolf all the time then; he made it clear that this wasn't the world he belonged in. He would fight this once, but as soon as he got home, he would stop with the childish game.

He was ready. He put the mask over his face and transformed next to Ame. Okay, since this is his last battle as a child, then he took a moment to admire the symmetry between the two wolves.

"Are you ready?" he seemed to ask himself.

"Hell, yeah," the voice within him seemed to say.

He and Ame howled once before charging at the demon.

The battle begun.

Soul Eater

"Double Paper Slash!" Tachigami shouted, holding out his sword and making several attempts at cutting the demon down.

"Fire Burst!" Moegami shouted, using the flames to distract the fox whilst Kazegami ran behind her and circled around, creating a cyclone of wind to spin the demon into a mild confusion.

"Well, well, well," Inuyasha growled as he turned face to face with Ame. "Guess it's just you and me, princess."

He lunged at her, but Ame dodged with skill. He was much weaker than the Demon Lord, and much weaker than Ame.

"How could you betray us like that, Inu?" Ame demanded.

"Betray you?" Inuyasha asked. "I would have loved to stay with you, but you weren't the one to bring me back, were you? Did you honestly think I just came to you? Are you rethinking your place as a god?"

"Shut up!" Ame sprinted at him, to which he swerved out of the way.

"Aw, am I making the little wolf pup angry? That's all you are, isn't it? Your eye is not much more than a wolf cub's eye is. It taints you. You're an ugly thing because you have that eye."

Ame flinched, putting her ears back and showing her teeth.

"You be quiet," Kid said, stepping towards them.

"Oh, look, the loser lapdog wants some attention," Inuyasha scoffed.

"I know about Ame's eye," Kid said. Inuyasha stiffened. "I know it's not normal for an Inochigami to have a power like that, but that's what makes her special. She's not just a god like all the others. She's not just one in the line of many. Everyone is different in their own way. Ame and her madness. Ikiru and her wolf ways. Me and my love for symmetry. If you want to take that away, then you don't deserve this world!"

Inuyasha froze. He charged at both of them, a powerful vortex of death spiraling around his form as he ran. Bakugami stepped in between them.

"Another sacrifice for two pathetic deities," Inuyasha spat. "I hate this game. Face me or die, you spoiled child!"

"Is it all a game?" Ame whispered, her tone still with sadness. "What do you think childhood is? Adulthood is not a place where you put aside childish things and you as all things start to die. Children die. In truth, one who is always innocent, like an Inochigami, is always a child. Childhood is not the place where nobody dies; it is the place where nobody kills!"

"…" Inuyasha's face changed. He smiled softly. "Then she died a child, didn't she?"

Kid stared at them for only a moment before sighing. Of course. Ame's older sister was killed. That was the reason for all of this, wasn't it?

Inuyasha laughed, his cruel demeanor replacing itself as he looked at his new master with cruel green eyes. His eyes had turned green. Ame turned around in confusion, and froze. The fox was charging. She couldn't move. She couldn't do anything.

"Kid," she thought. "Please don't jump in front of me."

Inuyasha charged at Ame from the other side. She was completely cornered.

** Another cliff hanger.**


	77. Chapter 77

"Kasu!" Ame shouted. The sheep nodded and slowed down time as Ame commanded. Ame jumped out of the way of the two demons just before they collided with each other.

Ninetails shook her head and laughed at the bodied corpse of her 'angel' Inuyasha. Without Amaterasu's blessing, he was no longer immortal. He died on impact, Ninetails' sword impaling his chest and spilling grey blood on the stone ground. His body dissolved and a single red soul was put in its place. The soul that had manifested in him when Ninetails revived him was a Kishin egg—an image of pure evil. Ame just couldn't believe it.

The World in Danger; A Power Greater than God?

"This… can't be happening," Ikiru said, putting her head down and clenching her fist over her chest.

"But it is," Liz said, trembling. "Why did I agree to stay here?"

"Anyone at our level is too weak to fight something as evil as Ninetails," Ox said. "I thought that being Kid's weapons, you would know that."

"I did!" Liz snapped, annoyed with his attitude. "Smartass."

"Stop fighting, you guys," Tsubaki ordered. "Fighting won't help Ame do anything at this point."

Ninetails growled and turned to Kid, who was cornered. Ame hurriedly jumped in front of Kid just as Ninetails was about to run him through with the sword in her mouth. However, Yumigami leapt in front of Ame, sacrificing herself. Ame could only watch in horror as the bunny was riddled with holes.

"Go," she said. "Run!"

Ame and Kid hurriedly moved out of the way as Yumigami's corpse disappeared in a shower of white ashes. Her soul was like a star shooting upwards into the heavens, completing her constellation and allowing her back into the Divine Realm.

One by one, the gods were picked off. Kid and Ame were starting to lose their edge, and they were getting tired. Ninetails, however, was just getting started.

"Kid, move!" Ame warned. A tail shot straight towards him, driving straight through his stomach. It retracted and Kid got back on his feet.

"Do you think it takes that much to stop me?" he asked.

Ninetails glared at him, sending even more of her tails forth to attack him. Kid was thrown around relentlessly until Ame was able to get in the way. Kid got back to his feet and circled the other way, trying to gain a little distance between him and the demon.

Ame blocked the tails relentlessly. Ninetails soon backed away, but charged directly at Ame with her sword in front of her. Ame skidded out of the way, growling and attacking with her divine instruments. Ninetails ignored her attacks and charged again, this time knocking Ame into the air before doing an air-hit combo. Ame crashed to the ground in a pool of blood. Kid rushed to her immediately.

"Ame, are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said, getting to her feet and licking her wounds. She let out a surprised yelp and pushed Kid out of the way of another of Kitsune's offensive tails.

"She's just toying with us," Kid growled. "And with our pathetic numbers, she can nail us easily."

He cursed under his breath.

"Mind your language, Kid," Ame chided, not even glancing at him since she was so locked onto the Demon Lord.

"Wait," Kid blinked. "Watch my what?"

"Language, Kid, LANGUAGE! You're a GOD—!" she cut herself off when she was rammed by another paper slash. Kid would have helped her, but Ninetails used a vine technique to pull him the opposite direction.

Soul Eater

"They've been at it for a few hours and there's not even a scratch on her," Azusa reported.

"This doesn't look good," Maka said. She cursed under her breath. "If only we were there to help them."

"No, Maka," Soul said. "Did you see how easily she took out the others? You'd be eaten alive if we went there. There's nothing we can do."

"I hate being useless!" Blackstar shouted in frustration. "They're getting nowhere with that fox wench."

"They can't last for much longer," Ikiru said worriedly. "And they're the strongest of all of us."

"Yes," Excalibur agreed, quiet for once. "It would seem that the world is at its end."

"Are you ready to give up yet?" Ninetails asked.

"No," Kid replied.

"Wrong answer," Ninetails shot back.

With one powerful paper slash, Kid was thrown back against one of the pillars. He gritted his teeth as the impact reverberated through his body. The wolf mask fell from his face and he collapsed, in human form. Ninetails loomed over him. She put one large paw against his back, holding him down. Kid whimpered as her sharp claws grazed his pale skin.

"What? Are you shaking?" Ninetails laughed cruelly. "How about this then?"

Two large claws wrapped around his right arm and she began to flex her toes. Kid squeezed his eyes shut and let out a strangled cry of pain. He was near his limit. Ninetails laughed at his pathetic display and Kid thought he felt the ground vibrating. The two hands on the clock began turning in a clockwise direction, and the clock was elevated high in the air.

"Kid," Ame struggled to stand where she was limping on the ground across the clock. "No…."

"Ready to die now?" Ninetails demanded. Kid didn't say anything. Ninetails snatched him up by his neck with a sickening crack and threw him over the edge of the platform. Ame raced to the other side. She threw her arm over in an attempt to catch him.

"No!" she screamed. Time slowed and for a moment, all she saw was Kid's blank face. His eyes dimmed and closed. Ame felt as if everything she'd lived for… everything she'd fought on for until now… was gone. Ripped away from her. What should she do now? Her aim and her purpose were gone. Should she keep fighting when there was no point?

She felt someone grab her by the scruff of her neck and throw her across the platform. She let out a small, choked gasp as blood poured from her many wounds. She felt bones in her body break and crack, twisting in unnatural and uncomfortable ways. Ninetails batted her around with a large paw. She liked to play with her food first.

"Where are those angel wings?" Ninetails demanded. "Fly away, birdy! Why don't I rip those wings off?!"

Ame was in her human form now. Ninetails dug two claws deep into Ame's back, ripping and tearing at flesh and bone. Ame screamed in pain as her flesh was torn, tears streaming down her face.

"Ah, here we go!" Ninetails sang, bringing her claws back out with a handful of white feathers. Ame stared at the bundle in horror—did something like that really come out of her body? Ninetails threw the two wings away and kicked Ame down. "Now how are you going to fly? Where are your wings now, huh?! Can you fly now? Come on, fly! Fly away! Fly away!"

"Stop it," Ame whispered. "Please… stop it…."

Over the horizon, the sun finally set.


	78. Chapter 78

Kid felt himself falling from a high height. He looked up to see Ame hanging over the edge of the platform before everything went dark.

"Damn it," he thought. "I've… failed."

Ninetails laughed cruelly as she continued beating the poor, broken goddess.

"Please…" Ame begged in a whisper. "Please stop it…"

Over the horizon, the sun finally set. In the Death Room, the mirror darkened.

"We've lost signal entirely," Azusa said. "Could this mean…?"

Lord Death and Ikiru were completely silent. They all were. They just witnessed Kid's death, and Ame didn't seem to be doing much better. Ikiru could feel something growing within her heart like pain or sadness. First her mother, then her daughter… now this? Ame….

"No way…" she whispered, lowering her head in shame.

"The sun has set," Excalibur said. "And if Ame has really faced her fate, it will never rise again."

He bowed his head, mumbling under his breath.

"What are you mumbling about?" Blackstar asked, annoyed.

"Fool!" the other snapped, pointing his cane at the ninja. "I am praying! Amaterasu is our goddess now. If we must see her off, then see her off with a grateful farewell!"

Soul Eater

"Not so big now, are you? Petty deity!" Ninetails laughed, throwing Ame to the side.

"That's the Ame I know," Kid's voice filled her head. "Spacing out at the worst time. Why so down, furball? Come on, psych yourself up and make us proud! You're a goddess aren't you?"

Ame got back to her feet and coiled to strike.

"I'm gonna finish you off for good!" Ninetails barked, wrapping a couple of her tails around Ame and shocking her with her soul wavelength. Ame whimpered and writhed as the evil wavelength coursed through her, draining her of her last ounces of power. The Kitsune threw her away, and Ame remained there. Her fur was duller; her markings and Solar Flare dissipated, leaving her to look like a normal wolf. Her power was gone. It was transferred to Ninetails, who took a more deadly form. Her fur was brighter, her teeth sharper, and her tails dyed red with wolf's blood. As if she wasn't indestructible enough already.

Ame was cornered, trapped, and she needed somebody's help. She whimpered as she looked around her. She was… all alone. She lowered her head in defeat. She'd failed them.

"I wish it hadn't come to this," Ame whispered to herself. She thought about when she and her friends had fought the Spider Queen. She almost died. "At least I would have died doing something awesome. Heh. Please. That's not it at all."

She looked up at the empty sky.

"What good is fighting to me? I'm a god of patience and peace. I don't care about the thrills that I get when fighting enemies. So then why? Why was I so happy on that day that we all fought her together?"

She thought about it. She didn't understand. Why did Kid's promised cherry cakes make her so happy inside?

"Food doesn't matter to me, really," Ame sighed. "It's just another mortal indulgence. What is it I truly crave, then? Food doesn't satisfy me."

For once, she didn't understand how she felt. She didn't know what she wanted. Before, all she wanted was for Kid to be safe. But that can't be all, can it? No, there was much more to it. There was another answer.

That answer was right before her eyes.

"Family…" Ame said the word out loud to herself. Family. That was all she wanted. "I don't care about food and I don't care about this fight! I don't care about defeating you, Ninetails! I don't want to if I have to do it alone! There's just no point!"

She was silent for a moment, looking at her small paws. She was small, even for a wolf.

She threw her head back and, with every last ounce of strength within her small frame, let out a final, mournful howl.

She stopped short and her ears perked. She heard something… a prayer?

"Mifune, is that doggy crying somewhere?" Angela asked. Ame twitched, the innocence in the child's voice striking a chord with her. "Is that why the sun disappeared?"

"I don't know, Angela," Mifune replied. "I hope that wolf hasn't gotten herself into trouble. I mean, I know I left without saying goodbye to her, but I hope that didn't cause her to give up."

Ame was touched by their concern, especially after hearing Mifune's remorse about leaving her unacknowledged. Then she heard another prayer.

"I hope that nice goddess who healed Haru is okay," the little girl said. "I didn't even give her a thank-you gift. Is it my fault the sun stopped shining?"

"Benevolent Amaterasu," Justin prayed. "Why haven't you raised your glorious sun? Have my lack of prayers lately hurt you so?"

"Our master betrayed Amaterasu?" the sheepdog that had attacked Ame thought nervously. "I thought his orders to us were just a joke. Amaterasu, forgive us. Is it our disloyalty that causes her doubt?"

"Excalibur is right!" Maka told her companions in the Death Room. "If I know anything about Ame from knowing her for a year, it's that she doesn't gain strength through pity. We all need to be strong for her, we need to thank her! What good does it do if we all just feel sorry for ourselves? Think about how Ame acts. She's positive and encouraging and loyal. Now we need to return some of that to her."

"Maka's right," Soul thought. "Whatever's bugging Ame, silence would only make it worse."

So they all fell silent as they began to send words of encouragement to the goddess in battle.

"Come on, Ame," Soul thought. "You're better than this. If you can't fight your way out, then make others around you happy, like you did with us all that time ago. I guess we were just kids then, and we still are, but that doesn't change anything."

"Don't give in," Maka told her. "Fight on! Please Ame, what are we going to do without you? I still want to see your face. I know we've all been ignoring you lately, but if you survive this, I'll give you all the time I've got!"

"Come on, don't give up," Blackstar's thoughts were heard next. "No training mate of the great Blackstar would ever roll over in the face of evil!"

"Don't give up, Ame," Tsubaki said. "We all believe in you."

"Ame," Liz's voice was broken from crying. "Please. We saw Kid die. He was as much to you as he was to us. We want him back, but if we lose you too, then…! Just please, Ame!"

"Amaterasu," Lord Death prayed. "I hope you can hear me. If you can, living or dead, I'm proud of you. In all my years I have learned that it is not in the success of battle that you find value, but in the attempt. You fought well, Ame, and deserve all of our praise. I just wish it had ended better for you, you know?"

Ame limped to her feet. Their prayers were strengthening her. One by one, her powers came back to her. She looked up at the sky as the clouds cleared and the constellations began shining again.

"We need you, Amaterasu!" the prayers seem to chorus.

"I'm… not really alone," Ame whispered, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Am I?"

The clouds cleared entirely and the sun rose above the shadows. The rays around the orange disk touched the land with Ame's healing power. Hope was felt once again. Ame got to her feet and stood firm. Her red markings were more intricate as they were sketched onto her model again. Tendrils of light reflected off of her form, and her Solar Flare danced with exquisite brilliance as she stood before the Demon Lord. She was ready to face this monster for all she'd done. The time has come to finally end this.

"Hey, we got a signal!" Azusa exclaimed, opening her eyes as she stared at the mirror. They all watched the scene before them with awe.

"I knew she wouldn't give up!"

"That's our Ame!"

"She looks different though…."

"That's…" Ikiru gasped. "That's her final form!"

Maka could see it. The three stripes around Ame's soul, connected at last.

"And we are Okami Amaterasu," Ame said. She howled once. Ninetails laughed.

"Oh, you haven't had enough yet?" she asked. "As you wish. Let's see how you handle this!"

The sword unsheathed from inside her and she held it up. Ame scoffed and drew a lightning bolt to the metal sword. Ninetails was stunned by the attack, making her vulnerable. Ame looked up to the sky and drew three stars, on above and two below to form a triangular form.

"What attack is that?" Kim asked.

"She's using her newest technique, Shadow, or Create," Maka said.

"I've never seen that before," Lord Death admitted. Ikiru smiled fondly.

"It's Asura's three eyes," she replied smoothly.

A silhouette of Asura appeared in front of Ame and he attacked Ninetails once before disappearing. The attack somehow destroyed Ninetails' armor and the demon eye. The fox's true form was revealed. She was no more than a fox with one eye. She had only one tail, and no paintbrush. Ame charged, attacking the demon with all she had; paper slash, cherry bomb, fire burst. The Kitsune put up a fight, and each of them took damage, but there was no doubt about the winner. Ame kept attacking.

"You are no more than a pathetic fox once stripped of your power," Ame spat. "You're not a god. You just posed as a god-slaying machine!"

She leapt up directly in front of the fox and slammed her head against the fox's forehead.

"Headbash of Justice!" she screamed, painting a small kanji symbol on the fox's forehead. The symbol was a simple character meaning 'wolf' or, in this context, Okami.

Ninetails shook her head, throwing Ame off. Ame landed on her feet, growling at the demon. The fox shook violently, red cracks appearing all over her body as if she were made of stone. Her head lurched forward, and blood poured from her mouth. She threw her head back and let out one final cry before her body was obliterated. A dark entity materialized from the still form of the Kitsune and rose to the sky before scattering over the earth. Ame drew the sun in the sky, and the darkness disappeared.

The world was at peace now. The plants were green and the oceans were blue. The sky was no longer red, and the madness was gone too! Everything felt almost perfect for Ame, until….

She looked to her left as an object floated upwards to the platform. It was Kid! He was on his skateboard, hovering over the clock and stepping off. He was gripping his bleeding arm, but he smiled at her despite his pain.

"Well done... Ame," he said. The joy and happiness within Ame filled her entire body, and she couldn't refrain from lunging at Kid and pinning him to the floor. She licked his face happily, her tail wagging behind her. He laughed, stroking her fur gently.

"Easy, girl," he said. "I know you had fun, but I didn't. Blackstar will kill you for stealing the show."

Ame barked once as Kid sat up. He looked up at the blue sky and sighed.

"Looks like we have a lot to do before we can celebrate," he said. "I'm not going to lie to you, Ame; just because you defeated the ultimate ruler of darkness doesn't mean we won't have to do this again. First Asura, then the Spider Queen. Just look at you. You're getting blood all over the place."

Ame tilted her head and began licking her wounds self-consciously. Kid chuckled.

"Come on, girl, it's time to go home," he said, getting on his skateboard and beckoning her forward. Ame shivered with excitement and jumped off the edge of the platform. Her paws caught in midair and she began running on a path of cherry blossoms in the sky. Kid smiled as he flew next to her. Well, they seemed pretty much equal now. There were some rough loose ends to tie up, but this felt like a rather happy ending.

**Yeah! But I have to warn you, the adventure isn't quite over yet. We are nearing the final arc, so questions must be asked before they are answered. Look closely. Read every line in the story. What is missing in this so-called 'happy ending?' Review and I shall answer!  
**


	79. Chapter 79

Kid was glad to get back to the academy before dark. Ame had passed out soon after defeating Ninetails, or… whatever the fox demon truly was. He brought her to the infirmary before nearly passing out himself; he'd lost a lot of blood from the wound on his arm. Stein told him he was lucky to even have his arm after what Ninetails did to him. That wasn't the only injury he'd suffered from the battle. For once, Kid found it a struggle to heal.

Ame was in worse shape than he was. There were two large gashes on her back from when Ninetails tore out her wings, shattered bones throughout her body stabbing vital organs, and the mental scars of being betrayed by someone she trusted. Kid didn't know why, but he felt as if he recognized that pain, as if someone had betrayed the academy during the rise of Asura. No one came to mind, so he dropped it quickly.

Kid was sitting next to Ame's bed, watching her sleep peacefully. She was curled up on her side, her tiny hands balled up underneath her head. He wondered what she was dreaming about. Was she having good dreams about their victory over the Demon Lord? Or nightmares about the battle? She was so unpredictable sometimes. He glanced at the clock. He supposed he was about to find out; they were supposed to wake Ame up every two hours.

_I can sense the tears you are desperately trying to hide._

_ RESET all the sadness within me…_

_ Heal the world…_

"Ame…."

_And reset all the sadness within me…._

"Ame, it's time to wake up."

The girl's eyes fluttered open and she looked up. She smiled softly at Kid.

"Hey," she whispered, sitting up. "Are your wounds healing?"

Kid glanced at the bandage on his left arm. He shrugged lightly.

"More or less," he replied. "How do you feel?"

"I'm not scared anymore," she said. Kid chuckled softly, pulling her closer and putting his forehead against hers.

"Good," he said. "And I'll make sure you never have to be again."

Ame grinned at him. This was the time. They leaned towards each other, their lips inching closer and closer to each other. They were, however, interrupted.

"WE CAME TO VISIT YOU!" Patti shouted, breaking in through door. Kid and Ame froze. Patti blinked at them as Ame began blushing furiously. "Huh? Whatcha guys doing all close together like that?"

"Darn it, Patti!" Kid yelled, enraged.

Ceremony of a Melancholy Wolf; A Proposal for a Kind Spirit?

Lord Death and Ikiru were among Ame and Kid's first visitors. Ame spoke about Ninetails' true intentions.

"In the end, Ninetails was no more than a one-eyed fox pretending to be god," Ame said. "So, the moral of this story is don't pretend to be god or the real god will hunt you down and kill you. Blackstar, did you learn anything?"

"Not really," Blackstar admitted with a bored tone.

"I knew it," Ame sighed. She opened her eyes and looked up at Lord Death. "So, when's the party?"

"I was thinking we'd celebrate as soon as possible!" Lord Death gave her a thumbs-up. Ikiru and Kid frowned at them.

"You two have no sense of judgment," Kid sighed.

"We need to wait," Ikiru insisted. "At least until their wounds heal."

"Yes!" Ame cheered. "Then I can go into the forest and play with my monkey friends just like Blackstar told me to because Blackstar is my master!"

Kid gave her an odd look. "How much pain medication did they give you?"

"Medicine doesn't work on gods," Lord Death reminded him. "Inochigami included."

"That's what I was afraid of," Kid whispered, turning back to the book he'd been reading. Just ignore her. She won't hurt anybody. Maybe.

Kid and Ame were released from the hospital and confined to bed rest for the next few days. Kid didn't like being stuck in the house for prolonged periods of time, but it was nice to catch up on his rest. Liz and Patti had continued going to school, coming home at lunch and after school to check on them both. Kid was fine, just tired; Ame, on the other hand, had to be woken up every two hours to make sure nothing was wrong with her.

Kid was sitting on the couch reading a book when his watch beeped once, signaling another hour had gone by. He sighed and set the book down in the center of the coffee table before making his way upstairs to Ame's room. He knocked a few times, letting himself in after the eighth knock. Ame was sitting on the window seat, staring off into the forest.

"Oh, you're awake," Kid said. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's fine," Ame said, smiling at him. Kid frowned. Her smile was forced; he could tell that was unnatural.

"Is anything wrong?" he asked. Ame frowned, putting her ears forward and nodding once. Kid moved to sit next to her. He wasn't the best at comforting people, but he'd gained some experience since she left. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's about Ichigo," Ame admitted, getting comfortable in admitting her thoughts. Kid looked away. That. "I never thought he could betray us like that. Mom and I are going to the Divine Realm tomorrow to pay our respects. It's horrible. I thought that he… I thought that he wanted me like the others do. I was wrong."

"Don't talk like that," Kid tried to console her. "But I understand that you're hurt by this. To be betrayed by your closest ally."

"Better me than you," Ame said. Kid gave her an inquiring glance. "Think about it. If Justin betrayed you, how would you treat him?"

"We'd have to eliminate him," Kid replied tensely, doing his best to avoid buzzwords like 'kill.' "What you did was the right thing, Ame. He had become a creature of pure evil."

"No," Ame contradicted. "There was still a shard of good in him. I saw a spark in his soul when I brought up one of the few truths about my sister's death. He was kind, caring… but his corruption made him off from the beginning. There was a shard of good in Ninetails, too."

"There was?" Kid asked.

"She took the form of a young teacher named Sayo. Sayo's heart was made of kindness and loyalty. That shard was embedded in Ninetails. In truth, even the embodiment of evil wasn't all evil after all. That's why I may regret killing her."

"Ame," Kid stopped her. "Don't say that. You have to understand that you… you have to kill sometimes, Ame."

Ame looked away from him. Kid sighed.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have said that. It's just… we've defeated the Demon Lord, but it still feels like we're fighting darkness. Come on, Ame. Laugh. Laugh like you did before you were sacrificed by those children last summer. Laugh like you did when we had fun. If our leaders aren't happy, then how could our followers be happy?"

Ame thought about it for a moment before giggling slightly to herself.

"That's better," Kid praised, patting her head. Ame stiffened and blood began gushing from her nose. Kid sighed in annoyance. "That's not better. Clean it up. Either that, or bleed symmetrically, darn you."

Soul Eater

Ame and Ikiru were sitting in the Death Room with the other twelve gods. It had seemed like the best place for them to gather. Kid and Lord Death were sitting at the head of the group, with Ikiru and Ame at the other end. The other gods were sitting on either side of them, forming a large circle in the room.

"We have gathered here today to mourn the loss," Yomigami began. "Of a valiant friend, corrupted by the Demon Lord's misuse of madness. But we've also come here to present… a promotion."

"A promotion?" Kid questioned.

Yomigami exchanged sly glances with the other familiars. Kabegami purred quietly.

"We'd like to promote Ikiru to fill Inugami's place in the Zodiac," Yumigami announced. There was a slight stirring amongst the gods.

"What?" Ikiru asked. "I-I mean, I'd be honored, but I…"

"We'll give you some time to think it over," Kazegami said, she and the others began backing out. "But we need somebody to fill in the place of Inugami."

"Come on, Kid," Ame said, urging her friend out. Kid nodded and the two gods were left alone.

"What do you think I should do?" Ikiru asked in a hoarse whisper. "I know about being a god, and the only other person able to fill this position would be Ame."

"You'd be giving up your place as a god," Lord Death warned. "And you won't be able to visit so often."

"But do you think it will be for the better?" Ikiru turned to look at him, her golden eyes searching his mask. "I will become immortal, and I'd be able to do what I love more than anything."

"What would that be?" Lord Death inquired.

"… Raise the sun," Ikiru replied. Lord Death thought about it for a moment. He remembered something from a long time ago that he had almost forgotten.

It was the day that Ikiru's first daughter was killed and consumed by Arachne. Asura was on the loose, wreaking havoc everywhere. Ikiru was on the edge of the city, standing under the cherry blossom tree that had guarded this place for so many years. It was withering, burning with Madness. She was killing herself.

"Do you have to go?" Lord Death asked her. She turned around. His sinister form and skull mask didn't scare her; she knew, as every Inochigami before her knew, he was nothing to fear. On the contrary; she embraced him, loved him, just as he loved her. She was the only person who accepted him entirely.

"You know I can't stay," she said, her long hair flowing in the breeze. "The tip of my brush has been poisoned by the Spider Queen's venom. I can't use my powers for good anymore. No human needs a useless wolf."

"But I need you."

Ikiru didn't look at him. Tears gently cascaded down her pale face.

"Will you die?" Lord Death asked.

"No," Ikiru replied. "The world can do without me, but I know you can't. I can't have you join your son."

"Don't call him that anymore," Lord Death snapped.

A moment of silence passed between the two.

"Maybe this is our fate," Ikiru said. "This is how the world will be from now on."

"No," Lord Death disagreed. "The world may be in ruins now, but we will try again. Once things settle down again."

Ikiru nodded. "It's a promise, then. We'll meet again."

"It's a promise," Lord Death agreed.

"It was a promise, wasn't it?" Ikiru's present voice brought Lord Death out of his reverie. "I came back, and now my successor is ready to take my place."

"You're leaving again," Lord Death complained quietly. Ikiru laughed and took his hand.

"I'll always be here," she said. "For you, and for our children."

Lord Death seemed to smile at her and nodded. They wouldn't be connected as yin and yang, but there's something deeper between the two of them that shall keep them connected always.

Kid, Ame, and the other familiars looked up as Ikiru exited the Death Room. She looked up at all of them.

"I'm ready," she said.

Her coronation ceremony was the next day. The entire town came, including all the students of the DWMA standing at the front of the crowd. The other twelve life gods were standing in a neat, single-file line on the platform. Ikiru was wearing a traditional sun god kimono with red sleeves and intricate orange symbols embroidered on the hems and obi. Her long hair was tied back.

She stood in front of Granny as the old woman began reading from the white book.

"As the first incarnation of Life and head of Life's Zodiac familiars, I hereby promote my great descendent Ikiru to stand in line with my other familiars as the goddess of the Sun."

"This is great," Ikiru thought. "Finally, a place where I belong. All my life, I never felt like Inochigami was the right title for me. When Ame was born, I had to protect her, but Kid's with her now. I can protect both of them. I will never die, and I will always be here for everyone who needs me. I hope Ame makes a good Inochigami."

**Sorry it's rushed! My grandma's bugging me. A lot. Anyway, review, and enjoy!**


	80. Chapter 80

** I know the last one was a bit rushed, so this is a bit more like a part 2 of the last chapter :)**

Her coronation ceremony was the next day. The entire town came, including all the students of the DWMA standing at the front of the crowd. The other twelve life gods were standing in a neat, single-file line on the platform. Ikiru was wearing a traditional sun god kimono with red sleeves and intricate orange symbols embroidered on the hems and obi. Her long hair was tied back.

She stood in front of Granny Life as the old woman began reading from the white book.

"As the first incarnation of Life and head of Life's Zodiac familiars, I hereby promote my great descendent Ikiru to stand in line with my other familiars as the goddess of the Sun."

"This is great," Ikiru thought. "Finally, a place where I belong. All my life, I never felt like Inochigami was the right title for me. When Ame was born, I had to protect her, but Kid's with her now. I can protect both of them. I will never die, and I will always be here for everyone who needs me. I hope Ame makes a good Inochigami."

Celebrate the Feat and Coronation; Are Things Going Back to Normal?

As soon as the ceremony was over, Ikiru and the other familiars had to go back to the Divine Realm where they belonged. Ikiru found Ame, Nagi, Rin, Liz, Patti, and Kid before she left.

"Hey, you guys," she said, bringing them all close to her in a big hug. Kid blushed when she released them.

"I guess we won't be seeing you for a while?" he asked. Ikiru smiled at him and stroked his hair. He didn't mind when she did that.

"I'll always be here for you two," she said. "Long after your father's gone. You don't have to worry about being alone ever again."

He wanted to thank her, but he couldn't come up with the words. She turned away from them and her body dissipated in a cloud of golden light. Kid sighed and turned back to the academy.

"Ready to celebrate?" Kid asked.

"For what?" Nagi asked.

"Our victory," Kid replied. "And it's Halloween. We should prepare for the ball."

"Halloween?" Ame tilted her head. "Already? Where'd Thanksgiving go?"

Kid gave her a moment to get over her blonde moment. She didn't. She started looking around and shouting about turkey and other foods that she will no doubt devour on the said day almost A MONTH from now. He gripped her shoulders so she'd stop thrashing.

"Ame, just… just think about it for a minute, okay? Thanksgiving isn't for another month, remember?"

"And she's back to being a handful," Liz chuckled. "Just kill him now. Patti, transform."

Patti giggled.

Ame was excited to cosplay. She and her friends all went to their homes and were back at the academy in an hour's time. Maka was dressed in a blue gothic Lolita dress with high stockings and black shoes, whilst Soul was dressed in formal gothic attire to compliment hers. Tsubaki was wearing a black dress with fishnets on her arms and legs; Blackstar wore his usual 'formal' attire. None of them were really dressed up as anything in particular; they just came in what they thought would look best.

"We're here!" Patti chanted. They all looked up to see Liz and Patti in matching outfits, Kid in a suit, and Ame in a dress that looked like a combination of a gothic Lolita dress and a traditional black kimono. There were silver spider webs on the sleeves and skirt, and it was open at the back, revealing the red tattoos on her shoulder blades. They had never seen Ame dressed in such a fashion. Nagi and Rin were, for once, wearing matching black suits behind her. Nagi tugged at his collar, and Rin was pulling at the sleeves of his outfit.

"Why'd you make us wear these?" Nagi demanded.

"You look fine," Ame said. "Now come on! Let's party!"

Once inside, they stood silently to hear Lord Death's welcoming speech.

"I've called you all here to celebrate Ikiru's coronation, Halloween, and Ame and Kid's great triumph over the Demon Lord! So dance, drink, and be merry! Have fun, do whatever you like!"

"Short and concise as always," Kid sighed. "I guess I'd better go give our guests a proper greeting—!"

"Come on, Kid! Let's talk to people!" Ame yanked him in the direction of her beloved comrades.

"Like I said before," Liz smirked, standing watch by one of the pillars in the room. "That's our Ame."

"She's our Ame too," a voice said behind her. Liz turned to see Nagi leaning against the pillar behind her.

"You again?" Liz asked. "I honestly thought you and Rin would bail. I know Patti and I would have before we got used to this sort of thing."

"It's worth it if you're here," Nagi shrugged, shifting his position to look across the room. "Looks like Rin and Patti are having a good time."

Liz followed his gaze to see Rin and Patti laughing and being crazy in the opposite corner of the room. Liz smiled at them; they looked kind of cute together.

"Yeah," she agreed. She turned back to see him staring at her. "Will you stop that? You always look at me weird. And it's suspicious how you always speak your mind around me; it's weird."

Nagi gave her a confused blink and smiled. He inched closer to her slowly. "Want to… dance?"

"No," Liz snapped, standing firmly in one spot.

"Okay," Nagi said, standing next to her and merely watching the party. He was content with doing whatever she wanted to do. Liz rolled her eyes. He was like a puppy—or in this case, a wolf—who found who he wanted to be with and is now claiming her. It's just like with Ame and Kid. Ame did whatever Kid wanted to, and Kid did whatever Ame wanted to. Liz sighed. Well, with her background, a wolf boy was probably the best she'd be able to get.

"Fine," she sighed. "Do you want to dance?"

"Pleasure, ma'am," Nagi bowed once and offered his hand. And Liz took it. Once out on the dance floor, they kind of stood there, awkwardly swaying side to side.

"Well are you gonna lead me or what?" Liz whispered furiously.

"Uhm… I don't really know how to dance, though," Nagi admitted.

"Well neither do I!" Liz kept whispering.

"Aw, look at Liz and Nagi dancing together," Tsubaki said, smiling slightly.

"I don't think they know how to dance, though," Soul remarked.

Soul Eater

At some point in the night, Ame and Kid parted ways. Ame was searching the crowd of people for anyone she knew so she could talk to them. Eventually, she found one of her favorite death weapons, Justin Law. She approached him with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Justin," she greeted him.

"Ah, Amaterasu," Justin greeted. "Congratulations on your mother's coronation into the Zodiac. It must've been hard dealing with Inuyasha's betrayal."

"Mm," Ame looked down, her face forming an expression of pain or unhappiness. Justin tilted his head slightly, trying to get her to look up at him.

"Ame?" he questioned. "Is something wrong?"

Ame took one of his hands in both of hers.

"I want you to promise me something," Ame replied, raising her head so he could read her lips very clearly. "Never betray us."

"It's a promise," Justin nodded, smiling. "I will never betray you, Amaterasu."

"Thank you," Ame smiled at him, drawing a small symbol that mean 'loyalty' on his palm. She moved on. She'd spoken to almost everyone there already, and she didn't want to be a bother. She moved to stand outside on the balcony. The night was beautiful. She reached her brush tail up and began drawing dots on the sky. She made a few patterns, but in the end, all the stars shot away. She sighed.

"Having fun?" Kid asked, stepping towards her from inside. She turned around, waving her tail alertly and pushing her ears forward. He had a plate of food with him. "I thought you might want some."

As Ame ate greedily, Kid looked out at the city. It was almost completely restored to its former glory. Kid was glad all this fuss with the Demon Lord was finally over. Now they could all relax, and, in Ame's words, 'plan a b*tchin New Year's party.'

"So, are those scars on your back healing alright?" Kid asked. Ame looked up.

"I'm fine, really," she said. "The tattoos on my back are natural. They are a part of me."

"I mean the wings," Kid said. "Were they a part of you like the tattoos, or your eye?"

Ame fell silent and pushed the plate of food away. "I don't know."

"Ame~! Kid~! I hope you two aren't making out out here!" Lord Death sang, appearing behind them.

"Father!" Kid swore, turning around to face him.

"Ame, I'd like you to meet a special visitor," Lord Death said.

"A special visitor?"

"Yes, she's going to be the teacher for the new course starting next semester and I was wondering what you would think of her."

Ame blinked. "Okay…"

She went to the entrance of the ballroom, where a woman was standing. She had long, reddish brunette hair and soft amber-golden eyes. Her form was tall and slender, but soft around the edges. She kind of reminded Ame of Marie.

"Oh, hello," she said in a soft voice. "I'm… Sayo Harumi. I was going to come here a long time ago, but something came up and I was delayed. I'm sorry, I know it must be weird starting a new course in the middle of the year."

"It's alright," Ame smiled at her. "What's important is you're here now, and you're not a liar."

"A… liar?" Sayo tilted her head. It seemed she didn't quite understand.

"Children have a natural instinct to lie," Ame said. "But that doesn't make them any less innocent. That's why we call it deception. However, if one deceives, are they evil?"

She flicked her ears twice. The riddle confused Sayo, but Ame grinned.

"You have a lot to learn from me," she said.

"It seems the real Sayo finally made an appearance," Lord Death was telling Kid a few feet away.

"But, Father, Ame and I saw Sayo dead underground," Kid said, confused. "So how could she be…?"

"Maybe it was just a trick caused by the Gitsune," Lord Death shrugged it off. "The important thing is, she's here now, right?"

"Right," Kid agreed. "And her hair doesn't cover her eyes; she's completely symmetrical."

"Good for you, Kid," Lord Death sighed, ruffling Kid's hair. "Good for you."

**Chapter 80 is up! Only 8 more to go! Come on, review fast; we need more ideas before Wednesday!**


	81. Chapter 81

Kid was getting ready for the day. Saturday, to be exact. Another boss defeated, and now everything will go back to normal. It wasn't boring, but it did feel like things were slowed down now that everything was calm again. It was a beautiful calm.

Kid glanced at himself in the mirror as he put his jacket on. He gasped and looked down. His sleeves were at least an inch and a half too short for his arms. He glanced down at his pant legs. As he thought; he'd grown. What a trouble. Now he'd have to buy all new clothes and get rid of all his old ones that were too small for him now. It was a tedious job that would take all day, at least. And worst of all, he'd have to face Ame.

**Kasureta koe de tobashita omoi mo**

**Todokanai mujou ni kieteku kokoro wo tsukamenai**

**Hitomi ni utsushita kioku kaeshite**

**Kono saki no mirai ni kitto mata deaeru to shin'jite!**

"So, why'd you invite us over for breakfast?" Soul asked.

"Soul, be polite," Maka chided.

"Yes, mother," Soul muttered sarcastically. Maka chopped him and returned her attention to Kid, who was cooking waffles and eggs.

"I have something horrible to show you two," Kid began. He held his arm straight out, revealing his too-short sleeves with distain.

"You grew?" Maka blinked at him. "That's good, Kid."

"It's horrible!" Kid insisted. "If Ame finds out that I got taller and she didn't, she will hurt me. So, I've invited you and Soul over to breakfast so that in the event that Ame gets out of control, Soul can transform and you can—"

"You don't want us to hurt her or anything, do you?" Soul asked nervously. "I mean, I'm sure you can defend yourself if it came to it."

"It's domestic violence," Liz explained, sipping her orange juice from where she sat across the table from the other two. "He doesn't want to be involved. It's also animal abuse, I'm guessing. And Ame has this thing with people hitting her."

"That's enough, Liz," Kid sighed. "Patti, just don't say anything about it."

"Okay, Kid."

They all stiffened slightly as they heard Ame walk down the stairs and enter the kitchen.

"Good morning, everyone," Ame yawned and rubbed her eyes once before looking up. She stiffened and glared at Kid. She'd locked onto him immediately.

"U-uh good morning, Clementine," Kid smiled nervously. He was making a Walking Dead reference; Clementine was a child. A very badass child with a gun and power to kill.

Everything's Okay Now! Arguments Between Two Lovers?

"How could you be getting taller!?" Ame cried, spazzing out and throwing one of her small fits. "That's no fair! I shrank and you grew! I know! You stole my height! Give it back to me! Give it back to me, Kid!"

"I didn't steal your height!" Kid said. "But if it makes you feel better, you gained weight."

…

"I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR FACE OFF AND SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR THROAT, YOU SACRILIGIOUS TWAT OF A FENCEPOST!"

"Ow! Ame, that really hurts! My arm isn't supposed to bend that way!"

The others watched in silence.

"Are you guys hungry?" Liz offered, deciding to ignore the little dispute between Kid and Ame.

"Yeah, totally, sure," the others agreed, ignoring the other two as well.

While Ame was busy strangling him, her ears perked as if she heard something outside. She suddenly got off of him and ran out the front door in her wolf form. As she had suspected, the paperboy was jogging down the street, throwing small bundles into peoples' yards. He paused by the manor to glance at her. He always hated delivering mail to Gallows because Kid would freak out if he didn't throw the mail down the center of the yard. The wolf glared back until the boy ran on ahead, ignoring the house entirely.

This would not do for Ame, so she bolted after him. Not even the horse spirit Kazegami could outrun Ame. She charged after him and tackled him to the ground. He laughed as she began playfully licking his hands.

"Alright, it's yours," he said, forfeiting the paper and putting it in her mouth. "Kid must sure have his hands full with you."

Ame beamed proudly and head-butted him gently before trotting back home.

"Ame abuses the mailman?" Soul asked.

"She's a wolf," Kid replied. "What do you expect?"

"I got the paper for you, Kid!" Ame sang as she entered the kitchen again. She handed it to him and he smiled approvingly at her. Ame sat down next to him at the table and began eating her waffles. Soul watched her quietly.

"So does Kid always let you eat breakfast in your pajamas?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm," Ame mumbled, her mouth stuffed with waffles and eggs.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Kid chided.

"Kid, isn't that one of your old shirts?" Soul asked, pointing to Ame's pajamas. Kid was suddenly self-conscious, although he didn't know why; it was just a plain gray t-shirt that he gave her to sleep in.

"Yes," Kid replied simply. Maka snickered. "What?"

"That's really cute," she said. "It's almost like you two are a couple."

"Just keep thinking that," Kid sighed, taking a sip of his coffee.

"So you're not going to argue?" Soul questioned.

Kid paused for a moment, then shook his head and continued eating. He rose from his place and cleared his dishes from the table. Maka followed him to the kitchen.

"I'm glad you two could come for breakfast," he said.

"Thanks for the invitation," Maka smiled back, taking her dishes to the sink as well. "Sorry about what happened with Ame."

"I guess I'm used to it," Kid shrugged. "I'll just have to keep her happy until she forgets about it."

"You spoil her rotten, don't you?" Maka giggled.

"I do not!" Kid snapped. "What are you laughing for?"

Soul Eater

Since they were out running errands anyway, Kid decided to stop by the library.

"There are a few things I need for a research project," Kid told Ame as they walked in. "You have to be quiet, no freaking out. I'll only be a minute, so look at whatever you like."

Ame nodded and followed Liz and Patti. She looked around a bit; she'd never seen so many books in one place. Liz stopped by the reference section to pick up some magazines before Patti led them both to the back where the children's books were. Ame sighed. Quiet. She looked at a couple of the racks and picked out a book.

"_Ballad of a… Shinigami_?" she read to herself. She opened the cover. It was a manga, so it read right to left and had many pictures. She sat down right there in front of the shelf and began reading. The story was about a white-winged shinigami who helped suicidal people.

"Hey, she's kind of like me," Ame thought to herself. She looked at the back cover and got to her feet. She searched the aisles until she found Kid sitting at one of the tables, reading from two small piles of perfectly aligned books. He looked up.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

"I… um…" now that she thought about it, the book she wanted was weird and maybe a bit racist*? Kid looked down at the book in her hands.

"Do you want that?" he asked quietly. Ame nodded slightly and Kid smiled at her. "Alright. You can leave it here with me for now, if you want to."

Ame nodded and set the book down the table next to his books. She traced back her steps until she found the manga section again. She began looking again. Her finger grazed the titles with interest.

"_The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya_," she read in her head. She smiled and pulled out the first volume. She flipped through a couple pages and giggled. This Haruhi character was hilarious! She pulled out the next five volumes; since she read quickly, there was no doubt in her mind that she could finish them in a week or two.

She came across a series called _Spice and Wolf_. She decided to try that one out too. To her delight, Holo was perfectly characterized as a sly and proud wolf that was always able to manipulate her friend into things he didn't necessarily want to do. She retrieved the entire eight-book manga and novel series and began making her way back to the table.

Kid didn't pay that much attention to how many books Ame was getting until her pile began to tower over his. She came by with at least twenty books in her arms. Kid got to his feet and took her by the shoulders.

"Okay, Ame," he said. "I know I said you could get as many as you wanted, but please… control yourself."

She nodded and he released her.

"Thank you," Kid said. "Now, I think it's time to go. Ready?"

Ame nodded again, and they both went to the children's section to retrieve the girls. Ame paused by one of the book shelves. Just one more volume wouldn't hurt, right? She picked up the book and read the back cover. _Library Wars: Love and War_. Kid glanced at her and sighed.

"Ame, we can't check out this many books," he said. "You have to pick a few. I'll bring you back next week and we can check out more then, okay?"

Ame nodded and picked out _Spice and Wolf_ and the _Library Wars_ manga to read. She put the rest back neatly, just like Kid had taught her.

"Good girl," Kid praised. Ame smiled at him and looked back down at the books she was carrying.

Once they got outside, they were surprised that a sudden cold front had swept through the city. Ame shivered slightly and leaned into Kid for warmth. He set the bags of books he was carrying down and took off his jacket.

"Here," he said, wrapping it around her. She sighed, her breath forming a cloud of vapor at her lips, as she looked up at him. His face remained stiff as he gathered his bags and began walking again. "Come on, you three. I guess I should get the heater out of the attic when we get home."

Ame had been gone last winter, so she didn't know about the drastic changes in the living room space every winter. Kid got a space heater down from the attic and set it up next to the couch. He also rolled out a thick blanket on the floor, which was something he never did.

"I didn't think Kid would do all this just for winter," she said as she and Liz unpacked some of the groceries they had bought.

"Actually, he doesn't," Liz told her. "I didn't even know we had a space heater. Usually, he just turns on the heating system in the house; the house stays pretty much the same all year round. I'm not sure why Kid is changing it up all of a sudden."

"I know why!" Patti sang. "It's 'cause Ame's here."

"I guess you're right, good call, Patti," Liz smiled at her younger sister. "But it looks like it's going to be a lot colder this year than it was last year, so you shouldn't go making assumptions like that.

Ame's ears fluffed. "There is one warm year and one cold year, so it's perfectly balanced. It might even snow again."

"I'd like that," Patti said. Ame smiled at her. Snow. Joy. Sadness.

***Not to imply the kind of black/white racist, I mean like Shinigami/human kind of racist, you know? n_n'**

** This is more like it. Almost 2,000 words and great points throughout. Anyway, I'm not getting any reviews! 88 chapters isn't only the goal; it's the limit, so if you have any questions you want answered, click that review button!**


	82. Chapter 82

The rest of autumn passed with peaceful rebuilding of the world. Ame and Kid no longer had any aversion to each other or the people around them. They seemed to resume the attitude of mere children again as they enjoyed the time they had to finally rest since Ame's return. Ame and Kid's relationship was mutual. They were more than friends to each other. They weren't as shy as before, but they had yet to admit it. Kid did all he could to please Ame, and Ame did all she could to please Kid, and that's all there was to it.

Well, almost all….

Calm and Content; Lazy Days and a Fast-Paced Class?

This episode is but a few snippets of scenes that have been a part of the Death household.

Ame was watching Kid and Liz argue. It was odd not being a part of the activity; Kid seemed to like arguing with her most of all. The wolf blinked lazily as the dispute continued.

"Why can't I take a shower first?" Liz asked. "You take all the hot water."

"I do not," Kid retorted. "And I must shower at exactly eight o'clock, don't you know that?"

"You're such a brat! Honestly, the least you could do is leave some water for the rest of us!"

"I agree with Liz," Ame said. Kid glared at her, and she puffed out her cheeks. "Honestly, Kid, if you're so obsessed with the number eight, then why not just make your shower eight minutes long?"

Kid fell silent. He bolted up the stairs, calling over his shoulder.

"I'll be right back!"

Ame turned to look at Patti, who was gawking at her with wonder. "You learn some things over the years."

"Man, you talk like you're already married," Liz smirked, grateful that Ame was able to resolve the situation. Ame's ears plushed as if she didn't understand.

"Of course not," Ame scoffed. "I'm not like his wife; I'm just his… housewife! There's a difference, you know."

"There is?" the twins chorused.

"Yeah, I just cook his meals and clean the house and make sure he's taken care of," Ame said, lifting a finger to accentuate her point. She got a sly grin on her face. "But you can see I'm kind of babying him too."

"I guess that's all marriage really is," Liz thought, sighing. "A woman taking care of a man. Pathetic."

"So, how would things be different if you actually were married?" she asked out loud, raising her head to look at Ame, who was brushing her tail.

"I don't know," Ame admitted. "Maybe we'd get a bit closer to each other like they do in the anime when—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Liz stopped her right there. "Let's keep it PG, okay?"

The next morning, Kid was sitting in front of the piano in the music room. His resolution in the battle with Ninetails was that he'd get over symmetry, and this seemed like a good place to start. The black keys in groups had always bothered him. They were so asymmetrical. However, he'd made a promise to himself that he'd do it! There was no backing out now! He had to do it!

Maybe Ame was up now; maybe he should fix her some breakfast first.

No, moron, focus. You said you'd do this, now do it!

Kid sighed, turning to the keys and putting his hands in the proper positions. He twitched only slightly when his concentration was broken by someone opening the door. He looked over his shoulder to see Ame dressed in house clothes and clutching her soft panda cutely. He smiled at her.

"Morning," she greeted. "Are you going to play for me?"

"Of course," Kid nodded, turning back to the keys. He felt Ame cross the room and sit down next to him. Kid froze. Something about her being there just threw him off… it bugged him.

He lost it.

"A piano bench is an oddly portioned thing; it is too big for one person, yet too small for two people. It is about the size for either a really big person or one and a half persons. You can't just cut one person in half and put it next to a regular person; that would be sick! And the half would probably slump over unless supported upright by something like a pole. Damn it all."

Ame flopped against him, putting her thumb in her mouth. Kid paused in his rant immediately. She calmed him and his neurotic tendencies. That's what he always needed; someone to keep him calm. That's why he chose to partner up with Liz and Patti specifically, or more like, he paired up with them for symmetry and it was a bonus that they were able to calm his madness. But he was hesitant with them, withholding somehow, for he knew they could not live forever with him. He'd live on, even after they died. That's part of why he was here, trying to get over his symmetry complex so he might stand to wield other weapons when that fateful day comes.

Ame, on the other hand, could live forever. Even if she died, Ikiru would still be there for him. He sighed contently, and began playing a soft melody for her. Ame smiled and set her panda on the top of the piano before joining him, playing a lighter melody on the higher keys. Kid smiled; they were perfectly in tune with each other, perfectly balanced; neither leading nor following, each just moving along. Kid was so content that he wasn't very careful with his hand positions. He hit a rough note and cringed. He corrected himself immediately and was about to pick up where he left off when Ame punched him hard enough for him to fly across the room.

"Stupid kitty!" she yelled. She was upset. "You threw off my groove!"

"Sorry about that."

Soul Eater

Ame was at the academy often, assisting Sayo with her new class. Actually, she was more like a backup teacher as well as a guinea pig and example provider. Sayo was a fast learner though, and never forgot anything Ame taught her.

"As you can see," Sayo was teaching the class about the difference between Kishin and demons. "Kishin souls are made from evil human souls; demon souls are evil when they spawn and it seems as if they don't have a soul at all."

"Most demons were exorcised in the old days," Ame continued. "But I've drawn an example of what they look like anyway."

She motioned to the wall behind her, which had ink drawings of imps and other fairytale mutants. Kid face-palmed.

"This is pretty fast-paced," Soul noted. "It's cool. Better than spending hours on every little thing."

"Unlike death weapons that fight enemies with execution," she explained. "Divine Instruments fight with exorcism. We abolish the soul and body entirely, so that the madness and darkness within the defiler cannot spread."

"It's like multiple personality disorder," Kid thought. "She's all silly one moment, then serious the next."

"There are three types of instruments, and three versions of those instruments," Sayo continued their lecture. The weapons were all laid out on the desk in front of her. Ame named them off.

"The reflectors Divine Retribution, Infinity Judge, and the Divine Retribution's final form Solar Flare; then the rosaries Exorcism Beads, Execution Beads, and Tundra Beads; and the glaives, or swords, Seven Strike and Eighth Wonder."

"Excuse me?" Ox raised his hand. He was sitting in the front row. "You said there are three versions of each weapon. If you are truly at your peak, shouldn't you have found all of the glaives?"

Ame grinned. "You will pay for your unfaithful remarks, mortal."

She raised her head to glare at her. "The third sword is none other than…"

Pause for dramatic effect.

"Excalibur!"

The class arose in a clamor after hearing that.

"That thing?! It's so lame!"

"Excalibur is the only Divine Instrument to retain a mortal form," Ame continued to impress her audience. "And his capability to resonate with anyone shows his versatile and tolerant soul wavelength. As for his meister's invincibility, well," she laughed, narrowing her eyes. "That's what Divine Power can do to you."

"Eh?!"

"Are you serious right now?"

"Excalibur said his legend began in the 12th century."

"Unfaithful doubters!" Ame shouted, throwing a scalpel at the pair of students that had interrupted her. "Excalibur used to be a regular glaive wielded by the spirit of whatever and blah, blah, blah, but one day, the wielding spirit and the sword combined, thus giving him human/penguin form in the 12th century. So technically, he speaks the truth."

"So that's it," Kid said to himself. "I should have known those two were closely affiliated with each other."

"Questions?" Ame asked sweetly. Hiro raised his hand.

"Um, I was able to follow Excalibur's 1,000 provisions, but he started sneezing so I took him back. Did he do that on purpose just to annoy me?"

"Yes."

.

.

.

"So she's just going to admit it out straight?" Liz wondered.

"Moving on," Ame said.

"Did you help Excalibur compose his annoying theme song?"

Ame twitched and reached for Blackstar's neck, strangling him. A dark cloud engulfed them.

"You dare to call the creation of an Inochigami annoying?!" she growled. "I ought to put you in your place!"

She drop-kicked him out the window and straightened her skirt.

"Now, onto madness artifacts then we can all go home."

"She benched him," Maka sighed.

"I knew that would happen," Tsubaki agreed.


	83. Chapter 83

Whenever Kid was injured, Ame liked to tend to him.

"Ame, I'm fine, really," Kid said, shrugging her off. They were in the kitchen, beside the sink. Kid had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up so Ame could fuss over a large gash that hadn't healed itself. He'd gotten it on the mission that he and the girls had just gotten back from.

"I know," Ame giggled in spite of herself before holding Kid's right arm over the sink. "Hold still."

Kid winced as she poured some vile chemical over it. It stung and burned, but he bit his tongue. There was no need to throw a fit over a little cut. He got wounds like this all the time that healed with time.

"I don't know how your remedies are any more effective than human medicine," Kid said as Ame began drying the wound.

"Their remedies are filled with chemicals to work with human blood cells," Ame said. "My remedies are natural and are compatible with any blood type."

"I see," Kid nodded. Ame wrapped some gauze around his arm and kissed it gently. Kid blushed. "Ame, come on, you're not my mother or anything. You don't have to baby me."

"I know," Ame smiled again.

Sick Day; I'm Fine, Aren't I?

Liz awoke to the annoying buzz of her alarm clock. She groaned and slammed her fist down on it before rolling over in bed.

"Lizzie," Ame sang, letting herself into the room and standing in the doorway. "Time to get up~! I made breakfast for you, so get dressed already."

"Hm?" Liz perked up. Something smelled good. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. "You cooked today? I thought it was Kid's turn."

"He didn't get up," Ame shook her head. "I'll go check on him later. Patti's already downstairs, so hurry up!"

"That's okay, I'll get him," Liz offered, stretching.

"Wow." Liz thought. "Ame's really gotten used to being our mother, hasn't she?"

Kid was awake, but he didn't get out of bed. His body was stiff all over and his head was pounding. He felt burning hot, yet he was shivering with cold at the same time. Thirsty. He was so thirsty. He felt himself being shaken slightly until his eyes opened.

"Kid, come on," Liz ordered. She sounded annoyed. "Why didn't you wake up when your alarm went off?"

"Liz?" Kid opened his eyes tiredly. His body felt like lead. Liz stopped shaking him immediately.

"Hey, you don't look so good," she said, putting her hand on his forehead. "You feel pretty warm, too."

"It's nothing," Kid waved her hand away and attempted to sit up. He stiffened when a sharp pain stabbed through his stomach. He raised a hand to clench it, the other slamming down on the edge of the bed for support.

"Kid, what's wrong?" she asked. Kid slumped back in bed and burrowed under the covers.

"I'm not going to school today," he whispered.

"Why on earth not?" Ame demanded, walking into the room.

"Go away, Ame," Kid groaned, rolling over. He felt her small, soft fingers find his shoulders and turn him back over.

"Let me see you," she said. She spoke quietly so as not to aggravate his headache. She frowned. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, really," he lied again.

"That's what you always say," Ame said. "Don't you know how to say anything else?"

"…"

"I'll take that as a no," Ame said. "Liz, take Patti and go to school without us. Take notes and bring them back for Kid, okay?"

"Fine," Liz rolled her eyes once before glancing at Kid, concerned. Shinigami don't get sick. She left the two alone and Ame turned to Kid again.

"Now be honest," Ame said, sitting down on the bed and putting a hand on his forehead. "Tell me where it hurts."

"Everywhere," Kid replied. Ame gave him a half-smile before getting to her feet.

"Stay in bed," she said. "I'll be right back."

Kid nodded and tried to find a cool spot to lie on. Ame went downstairs, probably to retrieve some water and medicine for him. Kid was starting to thrash uncomfortably. Why did it hurt so much? Despite his weakness before, he jerked out of bed and bolted from his room, down the hallway to the bathroom. Ame found him crouched over the toilet, violently sick. He was throwing up dark red blood.

"You can't be serious," she said, setting the few things in her arms down on the counter before going to kneel next to him. She put a hand on his back to stop his convulsing. He coughed once more and collapsed into her shoulder. Ame rubbed his back slowly, glancing at the red water. "Come on, Kid, get up."

She supported most of his weight as he limped to his feet.

"Ame?" he whispered, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"As long as none of it's black, we don't need to worry," Ame soothed him, walking him back to his room. She helped him to bed and covered him with the sheets. She put a cool cloth on his forehead and sat down on the bed again. Kid kept his eyes open, watching her. Ame stroked the side of his face until he finally gave in, drifting off to sleep.

Soul Eater

Ame. Kid had admitted before that he dreamed about her every night. Her smiling face…. She was smiling at first, but then her expression changed to one of confusion and sadness. A small drop of blood slid down her chin from the corner of her mouth. Her face contorted in pain, and blood poured from her mouth. She whimpered and collapsed to her knees, two stab wounds bleeding symmetrically from her stomach.

"Ame…?" Kid whispered. He looked down at his hands. Two daggers rested in his hands, covered in blood. He shook his head and looked up again. Ame was in her wolf form, gazing at him with an expression that could only say: 'I knew this is what you would become. I forgive you.'

Kid threw the vile weapons away from himself before kneeling by Ame.

"No, I didn't mean to, Ame, I swear! Ame! Ame, wake up!"

Now he knew the difference between weapons and divine instruments.

Kid awoke screaming. He was shaking his head and thrashing, trying to expel the nightmare from his mind. He felt someone holding him down. He stopped thrashing and opened his eyes, the screams in his throat fading to soft whimpers. Ame was still with him.

"There," she whispered tenderly, stroking his face. "It's alright. Just relax. Your fever's going down. How do you feel?"

"Ame…" Kid's face twisted slightly and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her so close to him that she collapsed on the bed next to him. He felt tears cloud his eyes as he stroked her hair. His heart was racing. He was so afraid of losing her.

"Kid, it's okay," Ame said. "I'm here. You don't have to worry anymore."

"But I do worry," he whispered. "I can't stand the thought of losing you, ever since the day I found out you weren't immortal."

"Stop clinging to me like a child," Ame chided, pulling his hands away from her and holding them tightly. "If it'll make you feel better, we could always make out."

"What?" Kid didn't understand what was going on.

"Are you really awake in there?" Ame flicked his forehead, which just thoroughly ticked him off. Kid swatted her hand away.

"Yes, yes, of course I am," he said. "Why?"

"Because the others are going to be here in like five minutes."

"What?!"

Just as he processed what she had said, his bedroom door was kicked down.

"FEEL SICK NO MORE KID, I, THE GREAT BLACKSTAR AM HERE FOR YOU!"

"Why?" Kid inquired.

"We thought since Ame liked it so much when we visit her when she's sick that we'd kind of come visit you too," Tsubaki smiled at him.

"I appreciate the thought," Kid said tiredly. "But I'd really rather you didn't."

"But we brought cake!" Patti cheered.

"I don't want cake, Patti!" Kid tried to reason with her.

Ame laughed half-heartedly as the other seven drove Kid crazy. She would have joined in; she loved antagonizing him, but she was thinking about what he said earlier. He was so afraid to lose her, yet he was too afraid to commit to her. Did he expect her to wait forever?

**Sorry if it's crappy and slow-going. I've been super busy with Christmas and an anime convention IKKIcon, which starts tomorrow! \(*0*)/**


	84. Chapter 84

Now that you've had a taste of all the chaos that the embodiments of life and death endure, let's compare.

So, shall we start?

Rin, Patti, Nagi, and Liz had been hanging out a lot lately. Liz and Patti had been kind of showing the boys how to act and getting them used to their human forms; they didn't seem to need their wolf forms much anymore, with Ame spending all her time in this world. All four of them began to see that there was something among them that made them inseparable. Nagi and Rin's mother had been killed, whilst Liz and Patti were abandoned. Nagi and Rin grew up in the forest, Liz and Patti grew up on the street. Nagi and Rin were taken in by Ikiru; Liz and Patti were taken in by Kid.

They also had their differences. Liz was afraid of ghosts, but Nagi was brave enough to face anything that threatened his family. Patti was innocent and childish and didn't think much of anything, while Rin was also childish, he was more responsible and was able to manipulate her out of several situations. Nagi was familiar with the way of animals, whilst Liz was familiar with humans. Rin was usually careful and hesitant, but Patti was ready to try anything. They were differences, but good differences that enabled them to keep each other safe.

"So, what do you think of us being together like this?" Nagi asked Liz as the four of them hung out at the smoothie shop.

"It's cool," Liz nodded. "We should do it all the time."

"What are you implying?" Nagi tilted his head slightly. Wolves weren't ones to mess with their relationships; they weren't looking for someone to date, but to love.

"Never mind," Liz shrugged. "I get your drift. I like to think twice before dating anyone too."

"I don't think I meant it like that," Nagi said. Liz smiled at him.

"Whatever. What do you think about my meister and your sis, then?"

Nagi let out a single bark of laughter. "This could take a while."

Pros and Cons; The Likeliness of Love?

"What do we think of Kid and Ame's relationship?"

After presenting this question, the four of them left the shop and went to Maka's apartment.

"What do we think of Ame and Kid's relationship?' Tsubaki blinked in confusion.

"That's an odd question to ask now," Soul said. "I mean, it's kind of obscure right now."

"Just think about it for a minute," Liz said. "They're perfect for each other."

"I guess opposites attract," Maka shrugged. "I mean, think about how different they are."

"Kid's OCD," Patti piped in.

"Ame doesn't care about order at all!" Rin echoed her.

"Yeah, and Kid's all proper all the time," Liz added.

"Ame's a walking circus," Nagi countered.

"Kid's really prissy and particular about everything," Liz said. "And he's kind of selfish sometimes."

"Ame tries to take care of others first," Tsubaki said.

"Kid likes classical music, while we're at it," Soul said.

"Ame likes punk and there's nothing wrong with that," Maka voiced.

"Kid tries his best to be all grown-up," Liz said. "Makes sense since he's going to be the next ruler and everything, but he can cut loose sometimes."

"Ame's so immature," Nagi and Rin mumbled quietly. It seems they were growing a bit embarrassed about their sister.

"If we're nit-picking, Kid's tall and Ame's short!"

"Kid's human, and Ame's a wolf."

"It's a wonder how they get along so well."

Soul Eater

"You know, Kid, I've been thinking," Ame said.

"That's dangerous," Kid chuckled. They were having a small picnic under Ame's cherry blossom tree. Ame grinned and reached for another riceball.

"I've been thinking about how alike we are," she finished. Kid swallowed and raised his eyebrows.

"Alike?" he asked. "Have you been hitting your head everywhere you go, shorty? Although I guess I see your point. We have been through similar hardships."

"Like fighting the Spider Queen," Ame said.

"Yeah," Kid smiled slightly. "We've both been blinded for a time."

"While we're getting into the deep stuff, we were both kidnapped and tortured," Ame added.

"We both have the musical talent of dead trees," Kid said. Ame frowned angrily and tackled him to the ground. He laughed. "I was only kidding."

Ame grinned back at him and rolled off of him, lying on the grass next to him. They looked up at the sky for a time.

"We both have powers and experiences that no one else can understand," Kid sighed quietly. "I guess that's what makes us so close to each other."

"Yes," Ame sighed. "So it seems."

A soft breeze made the grass sway underneath them, tickling their skin and teasing their hair. Kid reached over and grabbed Ame's hand gently.

"We both live forever," he said quietly.

"We both heal quickly," Ame echoed.

"We've both been wolves," Kid said, sitting up. "Let me tell you, you wouldn't survive if you were really human."

"Why do you say that?" Ame asked, sitting up with him.

"Just trust me," Kid said, petting her head gently. She was in her other form in a flash, laying down and putting her head in his lap. He continued to pet her head and neck. "When we met, I never thought we'd be able to do this."

Ame looked up at him inquiringly.

"Coexist," Kid explained. "Our parents couldn't. Asura and… your sister…."

Ame winced.

"Yet here we are," Kid sighed, looking up at the blue sky. "Peaceful world."

"While we're thinking about it," Ame said, sitting up in her human form. "Talk about our duties and problems as gods. No mortal can fathom that!"

"I know," Kid rolled his eyes slightly. "They can't even begin to imagine the pressure all this responsibility puts on us."

"All the rules, too," Ame sighed. "Number one, the Lines of Sanzu do not fade."

"Don't remind me," Kid cringed. "And a god's promise is always kept, even when made with a fuzzy mind."

"Where'd you come up with that one?" Ame asked.

"How do you think I got my name?" Kid retorted blandly.

"Your dad was drunk when he came up with it?"

"Yep."

"That's hilarious!" Ame fell backwards with laughter.

"Another thing," Kid straightened. "Divine powers are not to be used for stupid reasons, even for practice."

"Even death gods have to ask their parents!" laughed Ame.

"Talking about the time Dad almost didn't let me go out into the forest with you?" Kid scoffed at her childishness. "I'm more worried about it now than ever. You're out of control, young lady."

"Aw," Ame pouted, pushing him to the ground and laying on top of him. "Can't tame the wolf?"

"We'll see about that," Kid grinned mischievously and rubbed a spot behind her ear. She flinched, collapsing to the ground. Kid sat up. "Who can't tame who, again?"

**Hello again! I should have the next few chaps up soon, I'm still busy with stuff. Not school, I'm actually on break (woohoo!) and I'm really trying to fit in some quality time with my mom this time. There's also the Ikkicon tomorrow! I'm so excited! I will be fangirling all night tomorrow and for the rest of my life, so I'm trying to get this fanfiction checked and double checked for publishing before I drown in Madness.**

** Anyway, leave a review telling me what you thought about this fanfiction. The next few chaps are going to be short Kira that just tie things up (including relationships) and some final secrets revealed. I'm not going to do a lot of talking in the author's notes, but the last chapter will have links to a few youtube vids about my experiences making this fanfiction, so check it out if you want :)**


	85. Chapter 85

**Christmas special time! Yeah!**

November came and went in the blink of an eye. It was Christmas time in Death City. Snow covered the ground and everyone was busy, especially in the Death household. All the decorations were brought downstairs from the attic, and decorating commenced.

"Your father requested me to perform at the Christmas party this year," Ame told Kid as they were putting up the Christmas lights outside.

"Of course he did," Kid said. "You're his favorite child, and you have a good voice."

"Not to sing," Ame shook her head. "For stand-up comedy!"

"He can't be serious," Kid whispered, almost falling off the ladder he was standing on. He finished hooking up a wire and returned to the ground. "There. That's the last one on that string. Only four more to go!"

"What's the point by now?" Liz asked. "It took us two hours just for that one since you wanted it in the middle."

Ame's Christmas Special; Happy Carols and Heartwarming Tales?

They trimmed the tree that evening. Kid was very fussy about it; lights went on first, then the tinsel, then they could finally unwrap some of the ornaments he had.

"How cute!" Patti said, unwrapping a small rocking horse ornament. It was plastic, so it probably wouldn't suffer much damage if she dropped it.

"That's one of the really old ones," Kid said, placing an ornament on the delicate pine that Ame had retrieved from the forest. "I remember when I was little, my father would always come home for Christmas. We'd decorate everything and watch old Christmas movies together curled up around the space heater."

"That sounds fun," Liz said, smiling at him. "Patti and I never really did anything special. We just hit the best stores while stock was high and there were plenty of idiots out late at night to mug."

"Aren't you going to say 'those were the days' or something?" Kid asked quietly.

"No," Liz shrugged. "They sucked, really. I like this life much better. Warm place to stay, good food… living with gods, now that's something. Positive or negative opinion pending."

"Hey," Ame snapped.

"Oh no, living with you is great, Ame," Liz reassured her quietly. "It's Mister Three-Stripes over here that I'm talking about."

"No, no, Ame," Kid chided Ame as if she were a dog. "Make sure the ornaments are all even. Symmetry, Ame, symmetry!"

Ame laughed and leaned close to Liz, mockingly whispering, "I'm so OCD."

Ame yelped when Kid kicked her.

"Hey look what I found!" Patti shouted, jumping up and holding something over Ame's head. It was a small green plant with small red and white berries on it. "Come on, Kid, you know you want to."

"Stop playing around," Kid rolled his eyes. Patti frowned and dropped the mistletoe passively. Ame gave Liz a questioning look. Liz sighed.

"Whenever two people are standing under the mistletoe, it's traditional for them to kiss," she explained quickly. "Don't get any ideas. Kid has zero experience."

Ame glanced at the plant and raised her eyebrows. She had an idea. She tentatively grabbed the plant and walked over to Kid. She cleared her throat slightly and held it up as high as her tiny arms could reach.

"Hm?" Kid turned around to see Ame holding the mistletoe up above her head, but looking down and blushing. Kid chuckled softly, tilting her face up to his. He pressed his thumb to his lips once before touching it to her lips. "There. That should do it."

Ame looked absolutely shaken. She dropped the mistletoe and with the speed of light itself, she bolted across the room and shut herself in a box that they had emptied earlier.

"And now she's hiding there out of embarrassment," Kid sighed. "Way to go, Kid."

"Kiddo, I'm home~!"

Kid turned to see his father standing in the doorway.

"Father? What are you doing here?" he questioned.

"It's the Christmas season! We should spend more time together, don't you think?"

"Yeah!" Ame said, standing up in the box she'd been hiding in. "Did you bring me anything to eat?"

"I sure did! I brought eggnog and cookies from the bakery for everyone. I put them in the kitchen."

"That's great!" Liz said, running to the said treats with enthusiasm. "I could use a break."

Ame's ears perked a second before the doorbell rang. "Are we expecting anyone?"

"I thought I'd invite a few friends over," Lord Death replied. "And have a little Christmas party. Nothing too big; we're saving that for New Year's. But a little party won't hurt."

Kid went to answer the door. Upon opening it, he found several people waiting for him. More than he'd expected. Maka, Soul, Blackstar, Tsubaki, Crona, Nagi, Rin, Spirit, Stein, Sid, and Marie were all standing out in the cold.

"Merry Christmas!" they all chorused. Kid smiled.

"You all came?" he asked. "Come on inside, out of the cold. Ame, bring something warm for our guests to drink."

"Thought you were going to have an awesome party without us?" Soul accused teasingly, wrapping an arm around Kid's shoulder.

"I don't know," Kid shrugged. "Christmas and New Year's always seemed like a private thing for me. I didn't think the rest of you would want to take time out of your busy schedules anyway just to—"

"Oh, be quiet," Maka chided, smiling at him as she put an arm around his opposite shoulder. "Of course we'd love to spend the holidays with you guys; you're practically family!"

Kid blinked at her before smiling. He ducked his head to hide the tears welling up in his eyes. All this time, he thought he was going to be alone. He was always alone, then _Ame_ showed up. She taught him that he didn't have to be alone. He was with something he'd never understood before.

"Family," he thought, sniffling once and looking up with a bright smile on his face.

"You're looking kind of whacko there, Kid," Blackstar said.

"You look like it's Christmas day," Tsubaki added.

"I'm just really happy is all," Kid explained. He sounded like Ame, all simple like that. "Now, shall we start?"

"Looks like you were decorating the tree," Marie said. "Mind if we help?"

"Sure, that would be great," Ame said. "There's plenty to decorate in this big mansion."

"I bet there is," Spirit said, sizing up the large room that they were in.

"And after all that, we can settle down and watch some old Christmas movies," Lord Death suggested. "How's that sound?"

Ame suddenly felt an exceedingly rare pang of sadness inside her. It made her miss her mother, being surrounded by others like this. This would be her first Christmas away from her mother. Nagi and Rin were here, but it still wasn't the same without her mother brushing her long hair or tying her obi before the shrine maiden ceremony. But she had so much more now. All these people, human people that loved and understood her.

"Hey, Ame, anybody home? Come on, quit standing there like an airhead and help out."

"Home," she sighed before leaping towards the tree and helping hang ornaments.

Later that night, after watching It's a Wonderful Life and the 2011 remake of A Christmas Carol, everyone was ready for sleep.

"Thanks for hosting the wonderful party," Spirit yawned, a bit tipsy from all the eggnog and such. "We should do this every year. Come on, Maka, let's go home."

"Come on, Soul," Maka said, ignoring her father entirely and walking out into the cold with her partner.

"Thanks for inviting us," Tsubaki said graciously before she and her meister left.

"Come again next year!" Lord Death sang after them as they all left. He closed the door after them and turned when he heard the sound of faint laughter. Liz and Patti were standing behind the couch, looking down at the floor in front of it where the kotatsu was set up. "What's so funny, you two?"

"Looks like somebody got too comfy sitting around the heater," Liz said, pointing a finger. Kid and Ame were lying next to each other, asleep.

"Aw," Lord Death cooed. "How cute."

Ame began fussing in her sleep, as if plagued by some horrid nightmare. She whimpered and began wriggling slightly. Kid reached out unconsciously and held her close. She calmed down almost immediately and was still again. Kid continued to hold her close. They looked so cute together.

"You know, Kid's been talking," Lord Death said. "About asking Ame out. There's practically nothing in their way, so he's planning to tell her soon."

"He is?" Liz and Patti gasped. Why didn't he tell them? …Okay, maybe they would exploit the information to certain resources, but so what?

"Ame…" Kid sighed in his sleep. "Ame… I… I love you."

**Aw! More AmexKid, but we're not quite there yet! Just wait, innocent everyones!**


	86. Chapter 86

_Asura and Ame were sitting together in a field._

_ "Will you stay with me forever?" he asked gently. She didn't know what she would have said, but the wind began pulling her away. She struggled and fought, but she was still drawn back to her body in earth._

_ "Asura!" she cried._

Ame awoke with tears in her eyes. She looked at the clock before looking at the calendar.

"Oh," she murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep. "Is it that day already?"

Kid was always up early in the mornings. Instead of making breakfast like he usually did, he simply made some coffee for himself and sat outside in the backyard on the porch. He was bundled in his robe, but the cold didn't really bother him much in the first place. He played with the snow piling at his feet slightly. The snow fell gently and quietly. He looked out at the frosty grass and bare trees and sighed. It was peaceful.

He finished his coffee and went back inside to get dressed and ready for the day. Afterwards, he walked downstairs to see Ame sitting at the table with her chin resting on her folded arms. He smiled and ruffled her hair softly.

"Hey, Mei-mei," he greeted. "I didn't know you were up. I'll make breakfast for you right away. What would you like?"

Ame shrugged. Kid frowned. She seemed… off. He left her and went to the kitchen. Maybe some food would wake her up. He made some ham and eggs for the four residents of the house and served them, but Ame didn't perk up.

"Hey, you're not eating much," Liz noted.

"I'm not very hungry," Ame whispered, getting up and leaving her food untouched. Kid stared after her in confusion. Ame wasn't hungry? He wanted to go after her, but it had gotten late enough, and they needed to go to school.

"I'll talk to her later," he said, getting to his feet and clearing Ame's place for her.

Ame left the house and looked up at the snowing sky. She frowned at the beautiful sight.

"Snow," she muttered.

Ame's Depression; Family Problems?

Ame was the same at lunch with the others.

"What's up, Ame?" Maka asked. "You haven't touched your food."

"Come on, cheer up!" Blackstar said loudly. "You've got nothing to feel sorry about."

That was the wrong thing to say. Ame gritted her teeth and got to her feet, spilling her lunch on the ground.

"You…" her fists clenched. "Ungrateful little…."

She was shaking. She threw something at him—her chopsticks? Kid snatched them before they could hit Blackstar and kill him.

"Ame!" Kid scolded. Ame turned away from them and leapt off the roof, landing in her wolf form and running.

"What's up with her?" Maka asked quietly. "She seems kind of upset. Did something happen this morning?"

"I don't think so," Kid admitted. "She's just really unhappy about something."

"What do you think she could be so upset about?" Soul inquired. "I mean, this is Ame we're talking about. Has she been having any of her madness attacks or anything?"

"Not that I know of," Kid shrugged. "And she was just fine yesterday, singing and laughing and saying random stuff."

"Maybe she just isn't feeling well," Tsubaki suggested. "Changes in season could throw her off a bit."

"I guess," Kid sighed. Something just didn't feel right.

After class, Kid began his search for Ame. His first stop was the Death Room. He was dismayed to see Lord Death was alone. He honestly thought Ame would have been there.

"Hey, Kiddo," his father greeted. "What's up? I didn't expect to see you here today."

"It's nothing," Kid lied. "Have you seen Ame today?"

"No, she didn't stop by. Why do you ask? I hope nothing's wrong."

"She's been kind of… depressed today," Kid explained. "I think she misses her mom. I thought she'd come here, but I guess I was wrong."

"Maybe that's not the problem," Lord Death said. "Think about it, Kid. Do you even know what day it is?"

"No…?" Kid didn't know where he was going with this.

"Well, then, let me ask you this. Do you know when it was that Asura became a Kishin?"

Kid thought about it for a moment. "Her… it's about her sister, isn't it?"

"That's my best guess," Lord Death shrugged. "Why don't you go talk to her now? I think you know where to find her."

He knew exactly where to look. Just as expected, Ame was sitting under the cherry blossom tree; however, she wasn't alone. Ikiru was there too, holding Ame in her lap and rocking her back and forth slightly. He could hear Ikiru's voice as she sang to Ame.

"_Rising to become the one, that you were dreaming of, _

_ you'll be free to spread your wings, your dreams can take you anywhere, _

_ rise and take a deep breath, you're leaving the world behind, _

_ anyplace you dreamed… _

_ Everywhere you go, let's dance with the wind and the birds will be singing along. _

_ Sound of the breeze, and spark of the flames, how beautiful… _

_ if you believe in what you can find up to the sky."_

The image of Ikiru disappeared, and Ame was left alone again. Kid approached her and sat down next to her. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't know."

"It's not your fault," Ame sighed, looking away.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kid asked. Ame was silent. Kid internally kicked himself. "Sorry. I'll leave you alone now."

"Yuki," Ame said. Kid paused and looked at her.

"What?"

"My sister's name was Yuki," Ame said, inching closer to him. "Her full name was Yuki no Konata, which means Follow the way of the Snow."

"I know you miss her," Kid said sympathetically. "With the memories of all the Inochigami before you, it must be hard to think of this day."

"Arachne consumed her soul," Ame continued, leaning her head on Kid's shoulder. "There was nothing left of her body. The only thing left of her was her eye that Asura gouged out and put in himself, and her soul residing in Arachne's body. When Asura was revived, he found himself drawn to that shard of her within Arachne; that's why it seemed that they loved each other. In the end, he knew it was all a lie that he didn't understand and he killed Arachne."

Snow continued to fall around them.

"She was still just a child," Ame gritted her teeth. "She wasn't any older than I am now. Simply killing that spider witch like that wasn't enough. I wish I could bring her back and—!"

"Ame!"

She doubled over, gripping her left eye. Kid put his arms around her and held her trembling form.

"That's enough," Kid said. "She's dead. We've all gotten our revenge on that witch. That's it; you don't need to do anything more."

Ame leaned back in his arms, sighing softly.

"I hate my left eye," she whispered. "I wish I could gouge it out of me."

"Shh," Kid hushed her, stroking her hair gently.

"There was nothing more of her," Ame sighed. "But her spirit became a one-eyed dove. A one-winged bird. She came into me. That's why I have—had—those wings."

"Did you know this all along?" Kid asked. Ame nodded.

"I just never told anyone," she admitted. "And soon… I forgot as well."

"Look at the snow," Kid said softly, looking up. "You can control rain, but not snow. You're relatives, yet you are not each other. She's here, Ame; if not in soul or body, then mind. Never forget her or her love for others. She became you. That's how you were able to summon Asura. He accepted you."

"Do you accept me?" Ame said, rising and facing him. He smiled at her softly, getting to his feet and moving close to her to embrace her reassuringly.

"Yes. Of course I do."

"Then I have something to tell you," Ame said, her voice changing. "What you saw that day under the cherry tree wasn't a hallucination. Did you know that I was still when I was born?" Ame inquired. Kid pulled away tilted his head.

"No, I didn't."

"My mother was heartbroken when she saw my dead body. She thought I had been spirited away. I died… before I even got to live. But the truth was, I was only a bit late in this world. I was busy in the last."

"What?" Kid asked. She wasn't making any sense. "As in reincarnation?"

"… No. As in, another world. Another time."

"You aren't making sense," Kid said.

"Kid, do you remember when you had that dream about Soul becoming a Death Scythe and getting over your love of symmetry?"

"Yes."

"… It wasn't a dream."

Kid froze, backing away from her slightly. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"The world used to be fine without me. All that you saw was true. You were trapped in the book of Eibon for a time, actually. Soul became a death scythe, Blackstar killed Mifune, and you were in the final battle with Asura on the moon."

Kid remembered it all. It all flashed before his eyes, as if it was his own life, but so different; it couldn't be true!

"You're… you can't be serious," he tried to shrug it off as if it was just one of her silly games. "No way."

"It is, Kid," her voice was steely and serious. "I reversed time, made the world new. I made that world nothing more than a dream in this world."

"You're lying!" Kid shouted. "How could you do that to us? Why would you alter time like that?!"

"I did it for you…"

"No you didn't! You did it for some stupid or selfish reason, like your followers would let you die."

"But you still accept me, right?" Ame asked desperately, looking up at him desperately. "You promised!"

"No," Kid snapped. "Get away from me! How could you do this, Ame?!"

**I don't know what to say… All this time, I've been building up to reveal these secrets. Now that I'm actually confessing it all, I just… feel strange.**


	87. Chapter 87

Kid ran from her. For the first time, he was afraid of the wolf. For the first time, she seemed like the big, bad wolf. He ran across the city to the academy, charging through the hallways and leaving the students behind him in a confused state. He barged into the Death Room without even bothering to knock. Lord Death and Spirit seemed surprised to see him in such a frenzy.

"Should I leave you two alone?" Spirit suggested, eager to head for the door and leave what was about to ensue behind him.

"No, Spirit, that won't be necessary," Kid said through gritted teeth. "And the others should hear about this too."

Ame's Three Lies and Truths; Tears Hidden or Exposed?

Kid patiently waited for Maka, Soul, Blackstar, Tsubaki, Liz, and Patti before he began. He told them everything, from Ame's unnatural eye and the power it holds to her reversal of time itself. They were all shocked to hear about this, and it was a little hard to accept with it being shoved down their throats like this. They all knew Ame had secrets, but even Lord Death didn't know about this!

"I shouldn't have kept it from all of you for so long," Kid said, ashamed. "I didn't think it could be this dangerous."

"That doesn't matter right now, Kid," Lord Death said with a wave of his hand. "What matters is that we find out the truth behind Ame's lies. Ikiru didn't know the power of her own child…."

"Who can we talk to then?" Tsubaki asked persistently. "We can't find Ame and Excalibur won't tell us."

"We will," two voices said behind them. They all turned to see Nagi and Rin standing awkwardly at the edge of the platform.

"We know all about what Ame's done," Rin said.

"We remember everything," Nagi added. They both stepped up to the platform and began telling their story. "As a creature of innocence, Ame can't lie. However, she's broken this rule three times. She's lied to you. She said that what Lord Death saw was only a dream, she said what Kid saw was only a dream, and she said that Kid finding her dead under the cherry blossom tree was only a hallucination."

"When we were born, our mother was shot," Rin began. "The humans took her body and left us to die. We were blind, but then we saw something in front of us. It was Ame. She'd wandered off and gotten lost. The sight of a beautiful goddess in such a pitiful state, even weaker than us, was something… something terrible."

"We stayed next to her that night," Nagi continued. "We kept her warm. That's when her eyes opened. One was golden, but the other was a brilliant green. That's when our life really began. We lived with Ame and Ikiru in another world. We watched your battles and struggles against Asura and Arachne in silence, unable to help at all."

"Mom told us it was bad to interact with humans," Rin said. "Although I think we learned that the hard way. Life was boring and we weren't happy. Ikiru said that the war would end soon and we'd be at peace again, but I think we'd die before peace came. You see, something happened that made her really upset. The world was going to collapse without her intervention."

"So she reversed time," Nagi explained. "We were sitting in the forest as cubs again, as if all we'd just seen was a terrible dream. She made a promise to us; she was going to recreate the world and prevent that fate. She took us with her and we went back in time, but something about it messed with her brain. That's why her eye was green when we found her. That's why she can see everything that's happened in the past. She can also transport her soul outside of her body and to other worlds. That's why she was stillborn. She's scarred because what happened…."

"What happened exactly?" Kid asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I remember now," Lord Death spoke up. "Ame wasn't there, and the times were darker. What scared me was the danger Kid would face every day he lived without knowing about Ame."

This was hard for the others to hear, even Kid. Lord Death never admitted that he was afraid of anything.

"There was a battle with Asura on the moon," Lord Death spoke quietly and slowly, as if this was hard to talk about. "This was supposed to be the final battle. We were going to give it our all and defeat that Kishin for what he'd done to Yuki. I honestly thought it was going to be the final time I saw Kid fight; I thought he was ready to surpass me. But something happened…."

"Go on," Kid urged, getting tense.

"It was the last time that I got to see Kid fight, but not in the way I'd expected," Lord Death said. "When they returned, they brought me Kid's dead body. Kid, you died in the final battle with Asura."

Kid froze. He couldn't move; he was numb. He didn't know if he was still breathing or if his heart was still beating. Darkness. Death. He remembered it all now. He had died. He knew that his father could just start over and try again like he did after Asura became a Kishin, but Ame did him a kindness. A favor. Kid felt a pang of guilt. The things he'd said to her before were… cruel.

"Kid?" Liz asked quietly. She was the first to speak up. "Are you okay?"

"She did it for me," he whispered shakily. "All this time… she'd been doing it for me."

He thought about every time that Ame was there for him. Every moment was something he took for granted? He thought about what the Spider Queen Arachne had said.

_ "I can also sense the tears you are trying so desperately to hide."_

"She's been acting so strong and so brave, but I know better," Kid continued. "She knows she's weak, but she fights anyway. She doesn't know how strong she's really become. And I didn't even say thanks."

He turned on his heel.

"I'm going to talk to her. I'm ready to talk to her now."

Soul Eater

She was where Kid had left her. She was sitting on the edge of the cliff, watching the city with blank eyes. She didn't glance back at him as she spoke.

"Are you angry?" she demanded. Kid was quiet for a moment. Obviously he wasn't angry with her anymore.

"No," he replied quietly. Ame gasped, turning back to stare at him with wide eyes. He smiled sympathetically at her and moved to sit next to her. "I know I was before, but never again. You're the one who saved me, gave me another chance at life—all of us got another chance. You risked your own life and became something more powerful than a god to save us. Ame, you're the most benevolent being I know, and I know I may not deserve it, but I want to be with you."

"What do you mean?" Ame whispered, looking at him with her innocent eyes. Kid sighed and held up a pair of scissors. With two quick motions, he cut her hair to its original short curved length just below her chin. He fiddled with her hair a bit more before giving her a satisfied look.

"Whether the others believe it or not, I know you're innocent and pure and kind. I want to be with you forever. Ame, I love you."

Ame gasped, her hair flaring around her face in shock. A tear formed at the corner of her eye and she ducked her head in shame, lifting a hand to catch the water before it fell.

"I… I don't know what to say," she whispered. "I don't know what to do. I'm sorry, I just…."

"It's okay," Kid said, pulling her close. "You don't have to be so strong anymore. You are strong, but I know you need to be weak sometimes to uphold such strength. Go ahead, Ame. Cry. I'll be right here for you."

Ame was silent for another minute before she began shaking with sobs. Tears spilt from her eyes in rivers and waves, her hands clenching both her eyes as if to make it stop. Her small whimpers turned into wails as she collapsed into Kid's chest. She hadn't cried so much since she was a baby, when she and her mother were living in that old apartment. She felt so weak and helpless, yet she embraced it. It was alright. She didn't have to hide anything anymore.

Kid held her firmly, stroking her back and hair gently. He knew how much stress one year could put on a single person, but keeping it all in like she had almost broke her. There were times that he'd felt weak, but she was always there for him, biting back her own pain. She hid it all so she could take care of them and their needs. Kid couldn't help but smile slightly at her crying helplessly in his lap. Someone was finally listening to her cries; she wasn't alone anymore. He was there, and he would be forever.

It was a long time before Ame finally cried herself to sleep. Kid still held her, not wanting to disturb her. She looked so peaceful when she slept.

**Sorry I wasn't able to upload before Ikkicon, but I feel so happy and relieved to get all this off my chest. The next chapter is the last one, so it will be kinda long because I want to give credit for all the songs I used and media referred to, but it's the New Year's special, so the actual story will be good and final Kira-ness :)**


	88. Chapter 88

** Hey everybody, it's Wolf no naku koro ni and I'm here to tell you that getting sick after an awesome rave party at IKKIcon is not fun. -_- Anyway, onto the last chapter!**

Kid was walking down the hallways after class when he was brutally tackled to the ground by a familiar savage wolf child.

"Hi, honey!" she cheered.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Kid demanded in a growl. Although he was fine with everyone knowing they were together, he didn't want his life to become an all-time tackling spree.

"Happy—"

Kid already knew where she was going with that. He hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands.

"Ame!" he scolded in a furious whisper. "Are you crazy?! Nobody needs to know that."

"Know what?" Patti chirped behind them. Kid tensed.

"Nothing! Nothing whatsoever!" he said, getting to his feet and grabbing Ame by her collar. "Ame, can I, perhaps, talk to you for a moment?"

He whisked her away before she could say anything. He brought her to an empty hallway and hit her on the head.

"You have no idea what kind of trouble that would have caused me," he said.

"What do you mean?" Ame asked innocently. "Why can't anyone know that it's our birthday tomorrow?"

"Because I'd get a bunch of attention and I just want to blend in here," Kid said, shrugging as if it didn't bother him.

"What about your friends?" Ame asked. "Don't they want to know?"

"They don't need to know," Kid insisted. "Besides, we're busy enough with the New Year's party."

December 31, 2013; New Year of the Gods?

"I'm inviting all the familiars to the party," Ame said. "So you'd better have a bunch of food there."

"Of course," Lord Death's reflection nodded. He and Ame were speaking about last-minute plans through the mirror in the hallway. "Anything else?"

"Oh yeah, did you know it's Kid's birthday tomorrow?"

"…"

"You hesitated," Ame noted.

"What kind of a question is that?" Lord Death asked. "He's my own son; of course I know his birthday is tomorrow."

"Just checking," Ame said. "He's always saying he wants to be alone, but I don't think that's the case this year. I was wondering if I could throw him a small party tomorrow."

"Do what you like," Lord Death said. "But don't come crying to me when he rips your ears off and shoves them down your throat."

"Will not do, sir," Ame said as the mirror faded to its original state.

When Kid came home from school, he saw someone that he did not want to see.

"I think we should change the 234th provision," Ame was speaking to Excalibur at the table. They were drinking tea and everything; she was being too hospitable!

"Fool!" Excalibur snapped at her. "That one is my favorite. I suggest we change the 504th provision."

"Okay," Ame smiled. She looked up. "Oh, hi, Kid. Would you like to join us?"

"Forget about it!" he shouted, running upstairs and closing his bedroom door behind him. Ame shrugged.

"Ignore him, he's an idiot," she said to Excalibur.

"You're telling me," Excalibur said, taking a sip of his tea. "Now, I'd like to change 'you must always praise Excalibur' to 'Excalibur must always be praised.'"

"Got it," Ame said, using her tail to write this all down. "Hey, Excalibur, do you think all these provisions are necessary now that everybody knows about me?"

"Of course they are!" Excalibur said. "Even if all your secrets are revealed for the world to see, I'm still a Divine weapon of yours, and no human should be able to wield me. I only want a meister as courteous and talented as you."

"Thanks," Ame smiled at him. She sighed, leaning forward to prop her arm on the table and put her chin in her hand. She began reminiscing about the year that was already over. So much had happened. They defeated the Spider Queen and Ninetails. Kid finally admitted that he loved her. She found the final brush powers.

"Ame, are you listening?" Excalibur prompted. She looked up at him and blinked.

"Hm?" she asked.

"You were spacing out again," he said. "Honestly, child, get your head out of the clouds."

"Sorry, I was just thinking…" Ame brushed her fingers against her tail nervously. "You know, since this is the final day of the year, I want to make sure everything is perfect. I want to make sure that every end is tied up, you know?"

"I understand," Excalibur nodded. "However, just because a journey ends doesn't mean it's over. As long as you live, there will always be questions you have and answers that are right before your eyes; you just have to look. You see, this is not the end, but the beginning to a story that you cannot even fathom yet."

Soul Eater

"Mom, do I have to wear this?" Ame asked rather irritably. Ikiru had forced Ame into a traditional shrine maiden outfit embellished with the horse of the Zodiac.

"It's traditional for an Inochigami to represent herself in this fashion," Ikiru said, tying the obi of the kimono. "You look fine."

"Are you two almost ready?" Kid asked, knocking on the door. "The guests will be arriving soon."

"We're ready!" Ikiru called back. "Come on in."

Kid entered and looked at Ame. Ikiru could see how he spaced out when he looked at her.

"You look beautiful," he said, holding his hand out to Ame. "Now, come on. The others want to see you."

"Okay," Ame took his hand and let him guide her downstairs. The party had already started and everyone was there. Literally. Everyone. All the students from the DWMA, all the Death Scythes, Excalibur, the familiars, even Mifune and Angela.

"Being fashionably late, I assume?" Lord Death asked jokingly. "Come on, Ame. Everyone's waiting to hear your performance."

Ame nodded and took his place on the stage. She glanced back at Kabegami, Nuregami, and Kazegami, who were acting as her band. She turned to the crowd and sighed.

"They say an Inochigami's voice is like a million angels singing," she said. "So, what'll it be? Singing or stand-up comedy?"

There was a slight laugh amongst the crowd.

"This is a song that I've been working on for a long time," Ame continued, her voice getting quiet. "I almost feel as if I've been writing it for an eternity. But I'm finally ready."

Behind her, Kazegami began playing a soft melody on the flute.

_Millions of flower petals fall_

_Scattering and coloring the town,_

_However this time is at its end_

_As the wind had foretold it to us all._

_There's no need to worry anymore_

_The seasons always find a way to change_

_We knew that ever since the time that we_

_Watched the moon in its brilliance before._

_All the time constantly, we shed these tears and we_

_Do it again and again_

_We don't know how much it's worth_

_Until it's gone away for good!_

_If I could have just one wish I would_

_Go back to who I was_

_Yesterday, and I'd say_

_My goodbyes to you_

_If our feelings stay the same and do_

_Not change or fade away_

_Just meet me_

_At our favorite cherry tree._

_We made a promise on that sunny day_

_So I made sure that it won't be lost_

_By tracing my finger on the beams_

_Of the sunlight that chased the dark away._

_No moment is the same as the one after it_

_You can't return to the past._

_I'll move on with life and then_

_I won't hesitate again!_

_So that all my deepest prayers will reach you_

_Safely where you are_

_To this day, I will sing this song again, for you._

_If the answers that I'm looking for_

_Exist within the world_

_Gently, please just tell me that they do._

_No moment is the same as the one after it_

_You can't return to the past._

_I'll move on with life and then_

_I won't hesitate again!_

_If I could have just one wish I would_

_Go back to who I was_

_Back in time, just to sing_

_Once again to you._

_If our feelings stay the same and do_

_Not change or fade away_

_Just meet me_

_At our favorite cherry tree._

_So that all my deepest prayers will reach you_

_Safely where you are_

_To this day, I will sing this song again, for you._

_If the answers that I'm looking for_

_Are right before my eyes_

_Gently, please just tell me that they are._

_And Reset all the sadness within me._

Ame felt a single tear roll down her cheek as she sang. She met Kid outside on the balcony. He was staring at the stars and the moon. He looked back at Ame.

"Hey," he greeted. "That was quite a performance."

"Thanks," Ame smiled at him and stood next to him. "You understand everything now, don't you?"

"Yes," Kid nodded. "It's ironic how far we've come in just one year. I only have one last request."

"What is it?" Ame asked. Kid blushed and averted his gaze.

"Well, you know, since we're dating now and everything, I just wanted a hug."

Ame complied, wrapping her arms around him gently. Kid returned the hug and kissed her softly on the forehead. She looked up at him and held up one finger. She turned to the curtains and power-slashed the cords holding them back so that they could have some privacy. Kid smiled gratefully at her and pressed his lips against hers gently. Ame closed her eyes.

"Put your tongue in my mouth and I'll bite it off," she warned. Kid let out a nervous whimper before they continued. Everything was perfect now. Everything was alright.

** And there you have it! This has been a Wolf no naku koro ni fanfiction. I do not own Soul Eater or any other media referred to in this fanfiction. You might wanna find Threat of Rain on YouTube to listen to while I roll the credits. ;D**

**Music Used**

"**All This Time" by FELT**

"**Threat of Rain" by Syrup Comfiture**

"**Kando Reduction" by AkiAkane**

"**Kero 9 Destiny" from Touhou Project**

"**Fujun Satisfaction" by AkiAkane**

"**Edo no Kimouri Uta" from Higurashi no Naku Koro ni**

"**Giving Kushi a Ride" from Okami**

"**Kushi's Choice" from Okami**

"**Ricordando il passato" from Umineko BGM**

"**ATLANTE" by Eiko Shimamiya**

"**Yuki no Konata" by Eiko Shimamiya**

"**Imagination Forest" by IA**

"**Throw your card down" by IOSYS**

"**Reset (Thank You version Remix)" by Fyre**

**Other Media Referred To**

**Fuji-Domo's **_**Soul Eater Abridged**_

**Chuggaconroy's LPs**

**Raedwulfgamer's LPs**

**Brian Regan**

**Anything featuring Johnny Depp**

_**Okami**_

_**Touhou Project**_

_**Acchi Kocchi**_

_**Death Note**_

_**InuYasha**_

_**Spice and Wolf**_

_**Higurashi no Naku Koro ni**_

_**Umineko no Naku Koro ni**_

_**Bleach**_

_**Deadman Wonderland**_

_**Another**_

_**Utawarerumono**_

_**Lucky Star**_

_**Azumanga Daioh**_

_**The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya**_

_**Ookami-san and her 7 Companions**_

_**Library Wars: Love and War**_

_**Ballad of a Shinigami**_

_**Princess Mononoke**_

_**Spirited Away**_

_**Wolf Children Ame and Yuki**_

**Special Thanks To**

**Becky**

**Foenix Nightshade**

**Candyluver2121**

**Komamura's son**

**Waytheballbounces**

**BluejayWing**

**SuperBreadGaming**

**Dreamer372**

**And most of all…**

**YOU!**

**Happy New Year All! I hope 2014 rocks!**

**Woohoo! I beat my deadline!**

**See you all next dream!**


End file.
